


Dei Gratia

by voluptuous_volus



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2019-09-18 17:24:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16999353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voluptuous_volus/pseuds/voluptuous_volus
Summary: Penelope always knew moving to Mystic Falls would be a life-changing experience...She just had no idea how right she would be.OrPenelope and Josie's pre-breakup story. Takes place before E01.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For chapter 1, I took the liberty to create my own backstory for Penelope.
> 
> Enjoy.

Chapter 1

Josie was sitting on the lawn, her yellow jacket hanging on her shoulders like a cloak.  
She was surrounded by a dominion of lower years, their faces contorted with concentration as they followed her hands. The right was holding a calculator while the other was tracing the pages of the books around her. 

She whispered a word—something that got lost in the air—and within a few seconds, the lower years let out a “ha!” and a battalion of thank yous rung into the grounds. They left the girl alone with whispers of “she’s so nice” and “I hope she noticed me someday”. 

All of these compliments weren’t heard by Josie but nevertheless were carried towards the upper years sitting near the grounds. The gaggle of them nodded at the murmurs and gazed at the unsuspecting girl, who had her face tilted up in the sky, soaking in the sunlight.

Penelope stood there at the side and sighed as she gazed at the Josie.

Everyone adorned Josie. That was the first thing that she understood once she stepped into the halls of Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted, the lone private school in Mystic Falls that would serve as her second home for the next month or so—unless someone, perhaps the principal, would think of the consequences of how precarious her presence would be around the students and staff of the institution. 

Penelope, of course, couldn’t blame them; she was a Park after all.

From what she had heard, Josie was in all sense of purposes, the anti-thesis of Penelope. She was all smiles, the perfect face for the school with her excellent grades and appearance that glowed with such innocence, almost akin to the work of art of Vladimir Volegov. 

Students, Penelope thought, would be hurt by such statements from the teachers, actually didn’t mind the praises but more of affirmed them. Josie was the clear favorite amongst everyone. Josie was the Dei Gratia. She was the person anyone would want to follow and be compared with. 

Penelope thought of it as an exaggeration, yet when her eyes landed on the lone girl on the lawn, a part of her agreed that the praises seemed to make sense. 

Dei Grata, she thought once more.

Penelope hid her school welcoming note and was out of the grounds before Josie, who probably sensed that someone was looking at her, whirled around to look for the perpetrator.

 

***

 

Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted was a bastion of excellence as showed by how rigorous the academic life was in its halls. On most days, Penelope found herself laden with books and paperwork for various courses, which she began to sort by hard and less hard. The arts were nothing compared to her old non-magical school, which treated the course as some sort of trivialized concept insignificant in the outside world. 

At Salvatore’s, arts mattered. Teachers scoffed at her for not knowing the difference between tenebrism and chiaroscuro, as though knowing the terms would save her from a life and death situation. Penelope wasn’t an artist. It was the first thing she learned about herself when her eyes landed on the charcoal painting of an apple plastered on the board that evoked oohs and aahs from her classmates. 

Mathematics was the same. The subject was a different beast at Salvatore’s and she was ready to give up when everyone managed to do perfect algebraic expressions within the first ten minutes of the class. 

Spells and Incantations, on the other hand, was something she excelled at. It was easy-peasy, something she was proud of, in particular when she was one of the few people in the class who managed to cast a passable silencing spell. Penelope grinned since it evoked a smile from Mr. Williams.

“Good job, Penelope. We’d make a stellar student out of you.” 

There was an approving tap on her shoulder, her smile almost forming, but dropped the second she heard a murmur on her right.

“Let’s hope she doesn’t turn as genius as her family. We know what happens when a Park exhibits their magical prowess.”

Penelope remained silent for the rest of the day.

 

**

 

A week of settling in made Penelope aware of the school’s secrets that no one bothered to verify as truths. Among others, her favorite was when she proved that the Salvatore Brothers, a statue located at the darkest corner of the library, hid a shortcut. After minutes of venturing in the dark, Penelope discovered that it leads to a abandoned storage near the school parking lot. Nobody seemed to care about the statue or the storage room because the two were associated with ghost stories and the act of simply pushing the statue was undoubtedly sacrilegious. Penelope, who neither believed in ghostly apparitions nor was religious, used the information as for her personal escape route every time she couldn’t bear the glares flung at her at the library. 

 

**

It was Thursday—rain was pouring cats and dogs—and Penelope resigned on the drafty Gilbert halls, the common stamping grounds for Salvatorians whenever the weather became cold and unbearable. 

Penelope sat on the corner, the perfect spot she discovered for the purposes of observing people without being spotted by anyone else. She laid her books neatly on the ground, as silent as a cat, and took out her notebook that was inscribed with spells she needed to analyze or whatever—someone stepped into the room and everyone, even her, unconsciously looked at the sound of commotion.

It was Josie Saltzman.

She was drenched from head to toe. Her yellow jacket was gone, but instead, she donned a bright yellow raincoat that should be ugly and downright revolting to anyone wearing the thing. Josie, other than for the fact that she was Josie, made the attire looked as though it was something out of a fashion magazine.

“I fed the ducks in the lake,” Josie whispered with a furtive tone to one of the lower years who was staring at her drench state. 

The words were loud enough to travel towards the other students, handing her their handkerchiefs, brushing but not completely touching her to dispel the water, perhaps as well as the cold that was emanating from her. 

Josie patted them with a smile that said it was okay, but they fussed, dragged her in the center, looking around for someone with possibly a bigger handkerchief or towel to help the poor, poor daughter of the headmaster.

By the time Penelope caught up with all the tumult from the lower years, one of them stopped right in front of her with an accusatory glare. She choked and the little girl—with hands on the hips—tutted at her shoulder with an impatience of a fifty-year-old woman in a grocery store. There on her shoulders was her windbreaker, obsidian in color, and was providing her with such warmth that equaled to the heat emanating from the fireplace near the Josie. 

“I…” She choked. “You want my jacket?” 

She didn’t mean to say the words out loud, but the thought of someone talking…well looking at her with such need put her mind in a reeling fit, as though it was incapable of translating simple human interactions. 

Josie squinted at the corner, perhaps at the sight of the lower year who was threatening someone twice her height or at the tone of Penelope’s voice. Penelope wasn’t sure, wasn’t able to form a coherent thought, because oh god Josie was squinting in her direction. Penelope froze and did the first thing that came into her mind when she saw Josie on her first day at Salvatore Boarding School.

She ran. 

This time the girl saw her.

Penelope made it out of the room, right after Josie let out a strangled squawk of, “Penelope Park?” 

She ran faster when she heard a pitter patter after her.

 

**

 

Josie didn’t show up the day after that and everyone kept throwing Penelope dark looks. She slept in the library, out of sight, the moment her eyes landed on the gaggle of girls huddled beside her dorm room.

 

** 

 

On Saturday morning, someone thought it would be funny to post a note on Penelope’s door that simply stated her last name. It was probably the most passive-aggressive move done to her since she entered the school. By telling everyone her dorm room, the possibility of pranks grew tenfold. 

On Saturday afternoon, Penelope threw the list of missing persons tacked on her slate board and urged herself not to shout in the corridors that she wasn’t like her family. 

 

***

 

Penelope thought of the things she should have told Josie after that Thursday outburst, many of which didn’t pass her mind because of personal reasons, whereas the others Penelope thought were better left unsaid because she couldn’t find an ounce of bravery in her body that would help her to talk to the girl.

On Sunday morning, a rumor erupted in the dining hall that Josie was sick. She was feverish, stuck in her room for the reason that she wouldn’t want anyone to get under the weather like her. According to the lower years, Josie was sick because the Park girl was too high up her snobbish mindset and didn’t want poor Josie to borrow her jacket. 

The jacket, according to the same lower years, probably one of missing persons her family abducted years before.

It same jacket that Penelope bought in a seventy percent sale in a thrift shop down the coast. It was made of cheap fake leather and stitched with a faded Stark Trek command division badge on the chest.

Penelope didn’t need to explain herself to the lower years. She knew that since they were kids after all, but she still found herself feeling agitated because even the staff, who she thought would be logical, (she’s fifteen!) shared similar thoughts. The lower years were tolerable to say at least, the snide comments weren’t able to punch its way to her impenetrable indifference that she honed throughout grueling years of practice. But the staffs, even kind Mr. Williams, gave her a grimace at the sight of Penelope tucking in her jacket down her knapsack. 

Hence, she found herself hiding near the Salvatore Brothers. At least at this place, no one would dare to give her scathing remarks. The dark looks couldn’t also make its way towards her line of sight due to the tall shelves of magical manuscripts that surrounded her chair like a fortress. 

Another minute, she thought, and she could get away from students who were wandering around the grounds. No one would dare to delve inside the library and study in its gloomy lighting when the sun was out with blazing glory.

Penelope shifted her books to the right and tapped her pen on her art assignment. Her eyes glazed over the same page she was staring at for more than ten minutes until someone tapped her shoulder. 

Penelope tensed. She readied herself for the vilest insults the lower years could muster at the early age of twelve, assembled her most indifferent facial expression. She whirled around and found herself face-to-face with none other than Josie Saltzman.

“Um.”

Josie looked like death. Her pink face was pallid, sallow as a glass of milk left open for hours. Her nose was pinkier, sniffling for air that wouldn’t penetrate her blocked airways, and her mouth cracked with dry skin. Nonetheless, she looked the same, angelic as always, and Penelope thought of how unfair it was to mere mortals like her to look worse than Josie even on her worst days.

“The lower years have decided to march here because of you,” Josie whispered so fast she almost didn’t hear it. She covered her mouth with a tissue and sniffled on her hand.

“I—what?”

“Come on, I’ll get you out of here.” She extended her arm towards her, shuffling her feet as she craned her neck towards the south, and let out a huff. “I can see Millie’s pigtails from here. Come on!”

“Who’s that?! Who’s whispering?!”

“Josie…” Penelope closed her eyes and gulped heavily. Josie was talking to me, she thought. At long last, she managed to mumble after her brain finally caught up with her. “I’ll be fine, they’re just lower years.”

Josie simply stared at her. 

“Have seen them? They can’t even reach my shoulder on tiptoes.”

“Yeah well, you clearly underestimated the power of Millie’s crowd,” Josie said with an irritated tone. Penelope opened her mouth to retort, but Josie put a finger on her lips, immediately silencing her. “Listen, you have two choices here: you stay here and Millie will come. That means new rumors and bad treatment for you. Or you could go out with me.” 

“Who’s talking?! I’ll find you, I’ll find you!” 

Out of the corner of Penelope’s eyes, a girl with pigtails—Millie— saw her standing. Millie’s hands were pistoned on her hips, her crowd of little ones started to march at her when Millie tutted her lips towards Penelope’s hiding spot.

“There she is! Look!”

“Ah fuck it, let’s go.”

She took Josie’s hand and dashed towards the statue.

 

***

 

The Wickery Bridge was the only thing worth visiting in Mystic Falls. It was a slab of concrete and stood on the best spot for looking at migratory birds up in the sky. At four in the afternoon, the place was empty of life. There were no waves below, just the stillness of the dark blue water. The best word to describe such phenomena, according to the locals, would be depressing.

Penelope found herself sitting at the ground, feeling the same.

“So why here?” Josie asked. Her hands clasped a portable cup of tea that was slowly giving her face a color of life. 

“It’s the best place to watch birds.” Penelope blurted out. Warmth radiated on her cheeks when she saw the telltale sign that Josie was smiling. 

Penelope immediately transfixed her eyes upwards. 

Josie asked slowly, “You’ve been here before?”

Penelope, in response, let out a weak laugh. There was a hint of sadness misting on her eyes and jaw was locked in its place. 

Penelope closed her eyes and nodded. “Yeah, a lot of times.” 

“I’ve never been.” Josie perked up, her tea left forgotten in her hands. She fixated her eyes on the sky and grinned. “My sister thinks the place is drab, you know? Not her style. But I think it has character, see that carving on the bridge? I heard Elena Gilbert carved her—“

“Josie?”

“Yeah?” Josie tilted her head to the side.

“I’m sorry,” Penelope said, her head hung low. “I should have let you borrow my jacket. Now you’re sick and…” she trailed off and waved her hand around her, failing to grasp the right words to say. 

“Not your fault, okay? That’s mine. You’re not the one who braved the weather just because the maintenance forgot to feed the ducks.”

“I know that. But I ran.” 

Josie nodded sagely. 

“I probably would too,” Penelope almost scoffed, Josie didn’t look like the kind of person that can get intimidated by anyone. Or the person who would freak out because she was overwhelmed with human interactions. “Millie’s posse can be very intimidating. You’re the new kid; it’s hard to become accustomed to everything in just a single week.” 

Out of the corner of her eyes, Josie was trying too hard to stir her tea. Penelope looked to the left once Josie caught her eyes. 

“And why would you lend your jacket to a complete stranger?” Josie added after a thought.

“You probably think I’m the worst now.”

“Why?” Josie tilted her head to the side. “Because of the jacket?”

“Because I’m a Park.”

Penelope let out an unstable exhale, her laugh sounded desperate and more of a cry of help. It was nauseating, the idea of talking to Josie, probably was one of the thousands of people who got fucked over by her parents because they decided to join Kai Parker to specifically to fuck over the entirety of Mystic Falls. What was she supposed to say? She could hardly come up with two sentences without her suffocating to the irreparable corruption of her family.

The Park’s decision unseated the balance of the peaceful atmosphere of Mystic Falls and turned it into a den of power-hungry witches. Suddenly, Mystic Falls was populated with fanatics, all of them rallied for Kai. The biggest irony was that one day her grandma told her that she should go to a special board school in central Virginia to continue her academic career. 

So when Penelope first saw Josie Saltzman, whose dad’s biggest rival was Kai, alone on her first day, waiting for her in the grounds, she couldn’t bring herself to talk. Josie seemed to be too pure and sweet to be tainted by being associated with her. 

“I tend not to judge people by their families,” Josie said slowly.

“Not even if I’m a Park?”

“Did you partake in their activities?” Josie offered politely.

“No! I’m just a baby when that happened.” Penelope clarified. “I don’t want to be like them.”

“Great,” Josie said with a genuine smile. 

Penelope felt pressure on her shoulder ease. No one had ever thought of her as innocent before. It felt strangely nice. 

“So you kinda bail on me on your first day.”

“I’m sorry—“

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m just saying I haven’t even welcomed you properly.”

“I know the layout of the school, Josie.” 

“I know, silly,” Josie said with a giggle and drew her head forward as though they were sharing a secret, “But here’s the thing, welcoming committee always ends the day with an ice cream.”

“You’re sick.” Penelope scowled at her once she caught on what the girl was implying, and then immediately backtracked when she realized what she said, “But I can make it for you with pancakes?”

“As long as you eat it with me. I heard the Grill has big servings.” 

Josie’s laugh was infectious and Penelope couldn’t help but chortle too.

 

**

 

They made it back to the academy past six, the sun already retired and was replaced by an empty expanse of blue sky. There were few students wandering around the grounds, hovering to savor the last minute of reprieve before the familiar sound of the curfew in the form of a blaring of the school horn. 

Among others, Millie the freshman was there along with her posse of lower years, arms crossed at the sight of the yellow bus that traversed on the unbolted school gates. Penelope immediately shriveled on her chair once the clunky automobile halted into a screech.

“I’ll talk to them,” Josie whispered in her ear, her eyes trained on the gaggle of freshmen waiting for them—her—to step inside the gates. Those were the first words she said after long, grueling silence of eating pancakes and on the way home. Josie had long accepted that Penelope wasn’t much of a talker, so she gave her space.

“You don’t have to do that.” 

You don’t have to associate yourself with me, Penelope thought.

“I kinda have to.” Josie ribbed her on the chest playfully and Penelope accepted that Josie was the only person in the school who would intrude upon her personal space that wouldn’t send her to crippling anxiety. “I’m pretty sure the entire school’s going to throw a fit when they realized I’ve been with you for the whole day and you’re going to get yourself in trouble.”

Penelope gulped. “And what are you going to tell them?”

Josie frowned at her. “That I spend a day with you?”

“They’re going hate you for that,” Penelope replied weakly. “And I did leave you alone soaking wet in the commons.”

“No, they won’t. Not if I tell them that you bought me pancakes.”

“I hardly shell money for that.”

“But you did it out of the goodness of your heart.” Josie sang, which made Penelope grimaced. 

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. If you want I’ll tell them I just met you at the Grill and we went back together. Yeah?” 

What Penelope lacked in conversational skills, she more than made up for her eyes. The Parks always saw it as a weakness, how her eyes managed to express more emotions than her words. At the moment, Penelope thought of the same thing with Josie looking at her, pity on her eyes and lips tucked under her teeth. She closed her eyes and hoping that the girl saw only a fleeting moment of desperation on her face.

Penelope nodded and shrunk even further as Millie’s legion of first years began to walk to the gates.

“Hey.” 

“What?”

“It would be nice if we go out again. Maybe some other time?” Josie said slowly as though she was carefully choosing her words.

“Maybe some other time,” Penelope repeated with a smile.

“That’s a deal.”

 

**

 

Josie was on the grounds when Penelope decided to step out of the bus. She was surrounded by lower years and all she did was smile at them, which immediately defused the tension that was prominent in the air. A squirrel trailed towards her, its tail wagging in excitement. Living things always gravitate towards Josie and Penelope can understand that.

Dei gratia, she thought.

Josie gave her a shadow of a smile before she went in the other direction.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To the readers who bookmarked/ left comments and kudos on the first chap, you guys are amazing.

Penelope would like to associate her relationship with Josie, as her mother used to say, “not quite friendship but a friendship nonetheless.” Josie would always call Penelope on the hall with a combination of a smile and a good afternoon and good night, depending on the time. During lunch, when the rest of the dining hall was full, Josie would always have room for her.

Penelope’s life came into a time when Josie was the first and the last thing she talked to every day. It came into a time where being around the girl was more of a natural tendency rather than that of a mechanical urge that sprung from her loneliness in the school.

Hence, in one particular early morning, when Penelope found a bedraggled looking Josie on her way back to the dorms, Penelope found the courage to tell the girl that she was going to the Grill for a cup of coffee, and hey maybe she wanted to come with? Josie beamed at her and for a moment Penelope was glad that she woke up early in the morning.

“Hey,” Josie said slowly, pausing from chewing her breakfast and asked the very thing that was on Penelope’s mind. “We’re friends right?”

Taken aback, Penelope thought of how their relationship would count as one. She knew Josie was on good terms with her despite the fact that everyone around Josie was wishing she wasn’t. Penelope knew, despite not knowing the girl fully well, that Josie was the only person she could trust in the school. Then Penelope frowned at herself and considered what made her thought she wasn’t friends with Josie?

She came up with nothing so she said, “Yeah.”

Josie laughed at her; relief was shining on her face.

 

**

 

Friendship with Josie was associated with many things, both positive and negative. The positive one was that Penelope finally had someone she could talk to with confidence, devoid of scathing remarks about her parentage and insults about the rumors circulating her. This was something that sent Penelope to an edge at first, battling with an idea on how much she should divulge to the other girl without being too personal. There were things in Penelope’s life that she wished to remain a secret but herself.

“My grandparent’s used to take me football matches before,” Penelope said out of reverie when they passed by a group of lower years playing the sport in the field. Pre-Josie, Penelope would never associate herself with the rough sport, or any sport for that matter, but there was something about Josie that made her want to impress her.

Josie looked at her, with a big smile on her face. Then out of nowhere, Penelope found herself spouting facts on players that she liked, their stats, and what team she predicted would win the Champions League.

“You play?” Josie asked, curious.

“Does PlayStation counts?”

Josie shook her head, giggling.

“Then that would be a no, although I do enjoy watching football players running up and down the field.”

Josie scrunched her nose. “Can’t say I share the same sentiments. Sweaty men running around, kicking balls? Not my type of sport.”

“Yeah? What kind of sport does Ms. Welcoming Committee like?” Penelope, for some reason, had tease dripping in her tone. This was new; she thought yet didn’t stop herself from exhibiting a playful manner.

“Chess? Lacrosse? _Polo_?”

“Please.” Josie rolled her eyes, smiling. “I’m more of a college volleyball type of girl.”

“You play?” Penelope asked. The level of sport flew straight away from her head.

Josie shook her head. “I’m more of a spectator.” She twirled around, began skipping. “But I do, in fact, play our school’s equivalent to Quidditch.” Her tone was proud, tilting her head high, but her face immediately dropped—comically—when Penelope looked at her with confusion written on her eyes.

“You don’t know Quidditch?” Josie asked, tilting her head to the side.

“I want to say that all I know is that’s from Harry Potter but I don’t want to offend you.”

Josie laughed and began to construct an elaborate tapestry of rules and regulations of the game, of the precise actions someone needed to do to score, with pride written on her face. Penelope listened or at least tried to with rapt attention but failed. There was something about the quality of Josie’s voice, how she sprouted facts after facts that she found enthralling. The words flew above her head, instead she found drinking in the exultant tone of Josie, how her hands flew around her as she excitedly speak, of how her feet planted on the ground with such precision despite the fact that she was skipping, talking animatedly, and overall doing what Penelope couldn’t do all at once.

“Josie,” Penelope said slowly. “I think I’d understand it more if I have a guidebook.”

“Too much?” Josie stilled.

“Not at all,” Penelope whispered. “It’s me. I just have a hard time concentrating sometimes.”

“Yeah? I think it’s easier to understand with visual aide anyway.” Josie offered. “Hey! Maybe you should come to one of the games.”

“I’d do that.”

Josie grinned back and skipped ahead, oblivious to the glares that were sent to Penelope by the two lower years that were playing football. Penelope’s face burned as she followed her friend (friend!), her thoughts running on the idea that the contemptuous looks were the only negative part of being associated with Josie.

 

**

On her third week at the boarding school, Penelope had managed to find the exact time when the students were either on their way back to their dorms or at the library making room for extra study time before the weekday curfew at 8 o’clock. Generally, at seven, only five individuals were in the area, mostly staff, and Penelope was grateful for that since she can eat her meal in peace without being subjected by venomous glares.

Of course, most circumstances such as this had to end once in a while, hence on Monday night, Penelope was surprised to see that there were at least a dozen students gossiping and dining on the hall at the same time. Most of them had their attention on someone else, some student who was sitting on the top of a table, which made Penelope grunt in gratitude. She sat at her usual table situated at the corner of the room, isolated from the communal of the rest of the school.

Penelope peered once again at the group, and lo and behold, it was actually Josie, stealing bites of breadsticks from the group of students that Penelope suspected were members of the welcoming committee.

Everyone looked at Josie—amazed—following her mouth as she began to tell them some funny story involving a lost duck down the pond. The rapt attention from the student body made Josie looked as though she was a preacher surrounded by congregants drinking in her every word. It took Penelope almost a minute to snap out of stupor and focus her concentration on the food in front of her: a steaming bowl of garlic soup.

Penelope put her earphones on, thinking of drowning the loud conversation through the help of some obscure music (the louder the better).  She slipped the spoon on her other hand, submerged it on her meal, was about to put it in her mouth until someone tapped her shoulders.

“Garlic soup on Monday night? You and I can do _so_ much better.”

Apparently, Josie had a thing for sitting on objects not meant for sitting because she materialized in front of her, poised from head to toe as she sat at the edge of her table.

“What are you—oh,” Penelope took off her earphones at the humor glinting at the other girl’s eyes. “You want to go out and eat pancakes at 7 in the evening?”

Josie nodded. “I wish I could. The Grill doesn’t allow underage after 6, I think.”

“Do they?”  

“So I have this.” Josie waved the half-chewed garlic bread she was holding in front of her. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all.”

When Josie took a bite out of the drenched bread, Penelope immediately wished she hadn’t since Josie—goodness—let out a moan of appreciation that Penelope was so sure it can be even heard outside of the hall. Everyone transfixed their eyes at them, making Penelope blush at the tips of her roots.  

“Sorry,” Josie said, embarrassed. “It’s just it’s so good, you know?”

The rest of the welcoming committee nodded dumbly at her, breaking into a laugh. A higher year narrowed his eyes at Penelope and Penelope stared back with an impassive emotion written on her face, until the boy began to openly laugh at her. She followed where his eyes were fixated and let out an exhale at the state of her blouse.

“Ah, shit!” She exhaled.

The spoon she was holding was dripping with soup, dregs left a trail on her front, its green color enough to be mistaken for puke. She grabbed the tissues from her bag and started to wipe the mess she made due to her stupidity, only to result to flicking its soggy dried parts across her phone and the annotations on her notebook she wrote painstakingly for more than an hour.

“You’re making it worse,” Josie said thoughtfully.

 Her hand twitched as though she was overthinking what she should do until finally she grasped Penelope’s hand away from the table in a delicate manner, and dabbed Penelope’ notes with her handkerchief.

“Much better?”

“I can’t see past the stylistic analysis.”

“I can see that,” Josie replied. “Hey, I have a copy in my locker. If you want I can give you one.”

“Josie, you’re a lifesaver.” Penelope exhaled as she arranged her knapsack to face her front, covering the stained parts of her shirt.

“Shall we?” Josie grabbed her hand and led her through the doors.

Penelope’s flushed and strode out of the room as fast as possible.

 

***

 

Josie’s personal locker was at the other end of the school, adjacent to the teacher lounge and the storeroom for the theatre troupe. Josie told her as they walked that it was one of the perks of being the daughter of the headmaster, along with her own jeep provided by the school. She was made to promise to only use it during emergencies. But that didn’t Josie from suggesting to use the vehicle simply to satiate her affinity for the Grill’s pancakes.

“There has to be some kind of secret formula.”

“Hmm.”

“You’re so lucky that you’re not addicted to those pancakes, Penelope.” Her voice sounded muffled as she crammed her head down one of the boxes stacked at her locker. It was a rather big one, akin to one of those closets that had enough space for every vanity. “Which is surprising since you grew up in that place.”

“I’m clean since I moved to the city.”

“So you’re saying that I have to move out to stop myself from breaking a lot of school regulations?” Josie’s chortle died as she grunted and after a second she let out a triumph “Aha!”, raising her old notes above her head.

“Here you go.” Before Penelope’s fingers touched the decrepit notebook, Josie raised it above her head, her eyes twinkling in delight. “But you owe me a pancake, yeah? Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?!” Penelope yelped.

“Please.” There was a playful batting of eyelashes and Penelope couldn't help but drew her breath.

“Fine, but after the classes okay?”

Josie grinned in response.

 

**

 

History and Mathematics are the two classes Penelope had with Josie. At History, Josie sat right next to Penelope and chattered how the early schedule of the class conflicted with her meeting with the staffs. Penelope listened hesitantly, conscious at the glances and worried frown being thrown to the other girl.

At the end of the class, Penelope had already forgotten about the fleeting looks. Penelope gave Josie a smile and a thumbs-up when she managed to answer a particularly complex question about the Great Stand on the Ugra River.

At one point during Mathematics, Josie whispered “Four hours to go,” with excitement written on her face.  Penelope repressed the need to smile; her feet tapped the ground irritably as though willing the time to go faster.

“Four hours to go,” Penelope repeated under her breath.

 

**

 

“See you after last period,” Josie said once they were out of the room and Penelope couldn’t help but grin on the way to the gym.

 

**

 

Michael Yao was the son of the werewolf chief compelled by Kai’s fanatics. Penelope remembered his face since he was the one who laughed at her at the dining hall last night. Penelope remembered his face clearly now that he had been yelling at her for at least a minute when Penelope accidentally stepped on his foot on the way to the tracks.

Penelope took it silently, knowing that if she even defended herself, the boy would still be painted as a victim of an unprovoked attack from Penelope. Penelope let him shout at her face until he got the whiff of the teacher’s incoming present to the room.

“I’m not done with you,” he whispered at her and nudged her hard in the back.

 

***

 

Physical Education turned out to be her most awful day. She had been called many names, each more poisonous than the last, and it seemed as though all of the combinations of curses and insults anyone could use had been hurled to her. Her knees and her body were aching at all of the shoves she received from Michael and his cohorts.

“I don’t see what she sees in you,” Michael started once again, his tone turned colder once he saw Penelope looking at the clock situated above their teacher. Penelope jogged faster.

“For some reason, Josie’s just so smitten with you.” His feet tried to intercept hers and Penelope backtracked to avoid sprawling in the ground.

“Apparently you’re some innocent kid who got tangled up in the mess of your family. I don’t believe that. Nobody believes that.” he hissed at her ear. “You’re only here because your grandparents have a deal with the headmaster.”

“I earned my place here,” Penelope replied with gritted teeth. “I get that you’re angry at my family but there’s no need to take it on me. I hate them too.”

The teacher finally caught her eyes and began walking towards their direction. He was too slow and it gave Michael the necessary time to hurl his most vicious insult yet.

“You’re just as sick as they are, _Penelope._ The whole uncomfortable thing you have when Josie’s around you, I know what it means. Once she figures it out, Josie’s going leave you alone.” Penelope felt her throat seize. It wasn’t like that, she thought.

“You’re a degenerate Penelope, just like your family.”

Penelope could feel her whole body shaking. Her hands clenched into a fist, nails digging on her skin that they began to crack. She took a deep breath and willed herself to walk away, and yet she felt stuck on the spot, her body ramrod straight incapable of choosing to fly rather than response.

“What? Did I hurt your feelings?” Michael whispered, his face almost pressing to hers.

Penelope could almost see it: Michael barking in pain, down on the ground with his hands plastered on his nose. She wanted to feel her hands pained, she wanted to see magic hurling out of them.

Penelope wanted to say words with pure venom she could muster but she chose not to. She took a huge shaky breath— her body felt hot and heavy in ways that told her to she was about to commit a monumental disaster—and Penelope decided to take a step back and turned towards the direction of the lavatory.

 

***

 

Penelope sat under the huge wisteria tree at the far side of the school grounds. Her eyes glazed as she tucked her feet closer to her chest, the feeling of being smaller seemed to be the most rational decision she had ever made in the entire day. It made her feel benign, harmless from what the other students probably thought during her confrontation with Yao.

That was where Josie found Penelope that evening.

“That doesn’t look good,” Josie frowned at her reddened palms. She sat awkwardly on the ground next to her, shifted her knees similar to Penelope’s position. After a while, she whispered, “Are you alright?”

“What do you think?” Penelope doesn’t know where the anger came from. She was too tired to think at the moment.

Josie’s breath hitched. “Will you feel better if I told you that Michael got suspended?”

“Just leave me alone, Josie.”

Josie nudged her shoulders and exhaled, “You’re a good person. You know that, right?”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t hurt him even though he probably deserved it.”

“No one deserves—“

“I know what he said, Penelope.”

_You’re just as sick as they are, Penelope. The whole uncomfortable thing you have when Josie’s around you, I know what it means. Once she figures it out, Josie’s gonna leave you alone._

_You’re a degenerate Penelope, just like your family.”_

“I almost hexed him,” Penelope whispered. “I wanted to hex him.”

Josie’s voice was soft. “But you didn’t and that makes you a bigger person than him.”

Penelope wouldn’t meet her eyes. She wrapped her hands on Penelope’s wrists.

“You should go back inside and suck it up—“ Penelope felt herself froze. “And I’ll be next to you, handing detentions to anyone who crosses your path, yeah? Then you’ll spend your night doing your homework or watching a movie and the next day we’ll have pancakes, like always. Sounds good?”

Penelope managed a stiff nod. She hoped that her eyes didn’t show any cloud of dark promise, nothing of glimpse of wanting to hurt anyone or any other negative intent, anything but that. She didn’t want Josie to see that.

“Okay, c’mon. Let’s get you inside.”

 

***

 

Penelope spent the night on the library, unable to face the students—individuals who probably care for and know Michael—that was gallivanting at the dorms. She slept on the couch on the corner, the same one where Josie found her when they first spoke to each other.

In the morning, Penelope found her lower body covered with a tartan blanket, almost sat ramrod straight when Ms. Tig peered at the direction of her sleeping form. The old woman merely nodded like she knew what happened.

 

**

 

Penelope came back on her dorm room hours before the start of class. She figured Josie would understand if she didn’t show up during her first period. Or the next period after that.

Her room looked as though it was the aftermath of a vortex. All of her things were either on the floor, broken, or torn apart; some of them were a combination of two. Her favorite books, what she could barely discern as Vonnegut’s and Orwell’s all laid on her bed, were all torn out. Her closet was ransacked, shirts and jeans scattered everywhere, covered with the dirt from the fallen hibiscus plant on the corner.  It was exhausting to look at.

She started at her daily dose of old news clippings tucked on her door and sighed at the photocopy of Michael Yao’s suspension notice, down to the note that indicated that the incident could affect his scholarship.

The sun was up and shining but Penelope felt incredibly tired.

 

**

 

“Oh no. No, no, no,” she said and as she collected the pieces of the many of the photos taken away from her corkboard—her brother’s wide grin, standing behind various jam-packed football stadiums. All of the pictures that depicted her memories that weren’t associated with the background of her family were all torn out.

Penelope fought the heat that was creeping on her eyes as she arranged them one by one.

 

***

 

Josie showed up on the afternoon, her hands laden with notes that Penelope suspected was for her, but it immediately joined her possessions on the floor once Josie’s eyes landed on the state of her room.

“I’ll find out who did this. I promise.” Josie said softly but with enough conviction that Penelope knew she was telling the truth.

“They want me gone, Josie.”

“You earned your place here.”

“Maybe,” Penelope shrugged. Her eyes felt heavy and so was her mouth, a tell-tale sign that she wasn’t in the mood to argue back. “But you can you blame them?”

“That’s bullshit, you know that. You didn’t do anything wrong, Penelope. They’re the one at fault here.”

There was a pregnant pause, and then Josie straightened her back as though she was on a mission. She gathered the notes on the ground and set them on the study table.

“Pass me your books, Park.”

“What?”

“Pass me your books and those pens on the floor too. We’re going to make this room safe for you, you hear me? This is going to be our safe place.” Josie said with such confidence, her face beaming with assurance and passion, and yeah Penelope couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

Penelope grabbed her copy of 1984 and said, “Yeah sure, why not?”

 

***

 

Her room looked pristine. It wasn’t the same with the arrangements she did when she got to the school; Josie made it seemed bright and practically vibrating with a positive light. Against the far right was her bed, neatly tucked with a fresh linen bed sheet and colored pillow sets of coral green shade.

“We’ll fill this one,” Josie pointed at her bookcase for what felt like the nth time.

“I’m holding onto that,” Penelope said.

Josie beamed at her.

 

***                                                                                                      

 

On their third time at the diner, Penelope slipped a copy of the menu in her pockets when Josie wasn’t looking. She tucked them right next to her collection of photos and it stood awkwardly next to the beaming faces. After a few seconds of contemplating, Penelope knew that the menu truly belonged in the corkboard.

Penelope put the corkboard next to her alarm clock and slept soundly that night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penelope meets Hope. Jealously and miscommunication ensued.

On late October, Penelope found herself on an abandoned train station, her face scrunched towards the sunlight. Josie was sitting on the gigantic rock next to her, her hands blurring on the sketchbook propped at her crossed legs.

Josie had full activities for the past week. She had been helping the lower years every Mondays and Wednesday evenings for their midterm’s exams in mathematics. She also assisted the art department for the acquisition of some rare modernist painting that Penelope couldn’t see the appeal due to her limited amount of knowledge towards the subject. (Penelope did light research on Gustav Klimt and immediately closed her laptop attributed to information load.)

The implications of her busy schedule proved to be ruinous for Josie, case in point was when she showed up in the majority of her classes with bags under her eyes, still palpable despite her attempt to cover them with concealer. It also proved to be the source of annoyance for Penelope since it meant that they have to find a way to squash their little amount of time to meet up and unwind.

Penelope, for her part, claimed that she was fine with the idea of Josie not spending time with her but the girl insisted that they should try or else, Josie jested, Penelope might get subjected to the affections of the Lowell Salvatore, the school’s specter that neither made advances towards Penelope nor exhibited his unpleasant presence to her late night ventures in the library because he wasn’t (surprise) real.

“He could be watching you every time you grab a book from the periodical section,” Josie said one evening when Penelope refused to join her in tutoring the lower years.

“What kind of specter hangs around old journals and magazines?” Penelope scoffed.

“Lowell was a frustrated writer. He was about to publish his first piece when he got into an accident.” Josie supplied with humor glinting on her eyes.

“That doesn’t make sense at all.”

Yet that night, Penelope ran pell-mell towards the commons and sat next to Josie when she felt something cold slithering on her thighs. Josie giggled and pointed out the stain on her pants that looked suspiciously like her yogurt.

Josie laughed even harder when Ms. Tig ordered Penelope to dust the periodical section using a small dust cloth.

So Penelope tried to wedge her extra time on tutoring duties just to spend time with Josie. The lower years finally overcame the need to scowl at her and found it acceptable to see her as a supplementary tutor on Mathematics. Penelope was less annoyed when the little ones stopped muttering scathing remarks under their breaths.

“I couldn’t do it without you,” Josie whispered at her, a smile danced on her lips when one of the lower years showed their grades on Algebra. Penelope wanted to say that Josie could have done it alone, but repressed the need to since it was pleasant to know that Josie saw her contribution as monumental in tutoring the little ones.

(Plus, it was nice to see the girl smile.)

“So no more tutoring duties,” Penelope finally voiced out the thoughts that was running on her head since they got to the cove. “Just your art, yeah?”

“And a meeting this afternoon,” Josie said as her hands carefully dusted the edges of her sketchbook. Finally, her hurried movements lay at a standstill, tilting the paper down to enable Penelope to peek at the drawing. “Maybe you should come with?” Josie added after a thought.

Penelope grunted. “What meeting is it?”

Truthfully, Penelope wasn’t inclined in joining Josie with any other meetings after the incident with Michael. The welcoming committee was still unforgiving despite the fact that it was almost a common knowledge that Penelope didn’t ask the headmaster to suspend the boy.

Hell almost broke loose when Penelope first entered their room. Before someone could finish voicing out the idea of her spying on them for whatever paranoid reason, Penelope was already whispering—feverishly—that she was only in the room for the air conditioning and well… Josie asked her to come.

No one dared to question Josie, but Penelope still earned daggered looks every time Josie turned her back.

“It won’t be like the last time, okay? I’m just going to assess the party ideas for the Remembrance Day and that’s pretty much it.”

“Party at the school’s grounds? With chaperones? Who would attend that?”

“Students who can’t go home for the holiday.” Josie offered, brushing off Penelope’s tone. “Come on, it’s really important to them.”

Penelope grunted once more. “I still don’t understand why I have to be there.”

Josie threw her arms around her, snaking over her back and locking just above her chest. Penelope knew Josie was a tactile person, her thoughts clearly shown through her body language. For instance, an arm on the back meant for reassurance, and hand over hers was a signal for Penelope to calm down.

To Penelope, these were all actions of sociability and kindliness, nothing more since the girl also exhibited the same actions to the other students. And yet, Penelope still felt her face burned, almost luminous when the girl began to bury her head on her shoulder. The faint smell of vanilla wafted on her nostrils and the thought of Josie being so so close to her assaulted her mind.

Penelope knew she could easily tilt her head and it would bump into Josie’s crown of meticulous braids. 

It would probably feel glorious. She shook her head and tried to dismiss the thoughts, suggesting to herself that the mere action would probably send her into a reeling accidental self-combustion.   
Don’t be ridiculous, she thought. Penelope coughed and she decided to move her face away instead.

“We haven’t hung out since Thursday, Penelope.” Josie groaned, her breath tickling Penelope’s ear. “I miss you.”

Penelope closed her eyes.

“I have no use in the meetings.” She said slowly, “and besides wouldn’t it be nice for once to focus more on the agendas rather than throwing me side glances, asking me if I’m okay?”

“If your problem is uselessness then I’ll give you some tasks. How does photocopying sound to you?” The corner of Josie’s eyes twitched.

“Will I get paid?” Penelope jested.

“You get to hang out with your friend, isn’t that enough?”

“You drive a hard bargain, Jojo.”

Josie reached out to flick her forehead, but Penelope immediately ducked out of reach, laughing.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Jesus, Penelope. Just say yes or no.” Josie said and rocked back and forth, her arms tightening around Penelope. “Come on. I’ll take a nap for you.”

“Using the idea of you relaxing as a bargaining chip? So hardcore.”  
Josie rolled her eyes. “You’re, like, my impulse control. Just say the words and I’ll take a nap.”

Penelope cocked her head towards Josie. “Fine. But you should sleep first, yeah? Don’t make me think about the meeting right now, please. The last thing I want to think is of Michael using the majority of the funds for bean bags. Bean bags, Josie.”

Josie let out a wide grin and maneuvered towards Penelope’s front, finally resting her head on her crossed legs. On late October, Penelope finally managed to find the courage to run her hand on Josie’s hair every time the girl sprawled on her lap.

Josie let out a sigh that was suspiciously akin to contentment, making Penelope’s breath hitched.

“Penelope?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re the best.” Josie yawned. “I’m so glad I met you.”

Penelope didn’t stop combing Josie’s hair until the girl finally fell asleep. She tried not to think about the girl’s words at all.

***

The meeting turned to be a disaster. The general mind-numbing routine of airing ideas and keeping of accounts to date were replaced by a full-blown spat between Elliot Gibbs, the werewolf executive vice president of the welcoming committee and a witch named Hope Marshall who apparently was only in the committee for punishment.

From what Penelope could understand, Elliot was against the idea of a party. His arguments were centered on notions that the school should stay traditional: the commemoration of Remembrance Day should strictly be followed. It should only be about to remember the dead. Hope, on the other hand, was in opposition, asserting that the students should be given a chance to have a leeway from activities, arguing that the exams were demanding, hence they needed to be dispelled through a simple act of merry-making.

Penelope, who spent half of her time photocopying and organizing the bookcases (out of boredom), decided to sit still on the corner. She glanced at Josie, who looked tired and worn-out from listening to the squabble.

“We’re not asking to bring contrabands into the school, Elliot. What we want is to have the opportunity to enjoy ourselves.” Hope said, her tone indicated palpable self-control.

“Oh please.” Elliot scoffed as his eyebrows up in the air. “You want me to believe that Ms. Marshall over here wouldn’t at least try to bring in some alcohol. Come on, Josie. Surely you’ll agree with me?”

Josie groaned. “Do you have any other arguments you want to lay out or do we proceed to vote?”

“Let’s proceed to vote, I say.” Someone piped in the back, a gaggle of students nodded in unison.

Hope rounded up towards Josie, her posture tensed. “Josie, come on. You said you’ll let us have a chance this year. You’re stressed, just like the majority of us here; surely you would understand why I want this proposal.”

“Appeal to emotion, that’s a new low for you.”

“Let Hope talk.”

“What?” He sneered, “If that’s the case, you might as well accept my proposal since you also...er…have association with the deceased? Am I right?”

Suddenly ruckus erupted; a tide of younger years stood up, vilest of insults threw towards Elliot, calling him insensitive and out-of-line, hurling fuming expressions that were usually reserved to Penelope to the sneering boy. Josie, who had her fingers tapping on the table, suddenly stopped, closing her palms into tight fists, shaking. She looked as though she was trying hard not to let her emotions get to her.

“Piss off, Elliot,” Penelope said out of a sudden. She didn’t realize that she was standing too until Hope’s eyes traversed into her direction, eyes as wide as coins. Josie gave her a hint of bewildered look.

“Can somebody please tell me why this girl is suddenly joining our meetings? Her presence here is unwanted.”

“Let her speak.” Hope shot back.

“Well?” Elliot feverishly replied, his hands raking his hair. “You might as well share your sentiments, Park.” He added, exuding with taunt. “Better yet, draw a proposal with the Ms. Marshall over here and let’s make the headmaster decide.”

“Okay, guys calm down.” Josie drew her arm in a placating manner. “Penelope, please sit down. We will follow the rules and regulations, and have a vote—“

“What? Scared that your precious pet project over here couldn’t handle the heat, Saltzman?”  
Penelope straightened her back, ramrod against the wall. She knew that she was being baited but the idea of fighting back felt akin to a satisfying release, free from the animosity that built up inside her like poisonous spite. She didn’t glance at Josie, who was throwing her cautionary stare. 

Penelope fought the urge to throw her bean bag chair towards Elliot’s smirking face.

“Piss off, Elliot,” She said once more and Elliot’s smirked widened. Flickers of flame singed the binder she was holding.

Penelope took a careful stepped forward, her body manic with negative energy as she pressed her hands against the wooden table. She knew what she looked like when she was angry, it was the same look that bore on her father’s face, a palpable trace of enraging spark on her eyes, yet still managed to manifest a cold, collected look. Someone on the back hitched their breath, collective recoil from the student body.

Elliot fought her with an equal amount of distaste, a tawdry version of expression that didn’t manage to penetrate Penelope’s wall.

“You know what? I’ll—“

“I’ll do the proposal with Hope,” Josie butted in, with her tone louder than usual. “Let’s continue this meeting after a week.”  
“Five days.” Elliot insisted. “The deliberation with the staffs will happen next week.”

***

“You’re Hope Marshall?” Penelope asked, rounding out of the corner. “The Hope Marshall who used to play Annalee Dolls with Josie?”

Penelope smirked when she saw Josie rolling her eyes.

“That’s me,” Hope said, couldn’t help but grin at Josie’s discomfort. “Penelope Park, right?   
You’re Josie’s new friend.”

“Hope, lay off.” Josie peeked up over the table, frowning.

“Fine,” Hope raised her hands over her head. “Saw you days ago shove five bookshelves when you ran away from the library. That was impressive. Those are like solid mahogany.”

“It’s just simple magic.” Penelope shrugged.

“Still impressive.”

Penelope laughed at the appreciative tone the red-haired girl gave her. Hope, who she only knew as Josie’s childhood friend, seemed like a nice person. She could see herself and Josie hanging out with the girl. But then out of the corner of her eyes, a prickle of discomfort settled in her stomach when Josie suddenly sprang into action. Josie’s hand hastily settled to Hope’s, not hers, and she could feel the grin wearing off her face.

“Come on, Hope,” Josie said. “We only have four days to complete the proposal.”  
With that, Josie dragged the girl out of the room, leaving a bewildered Penelope behind.

***

Penelope rendezvoused with Josie the next morning. It was just shy of seven and she was shivering a little in her school uniform.

“I’m here,” Josie whispered, running out of breath. “I really need pancakes right now. You know what? I’m going to order three stacks of that blueberry powerhouse and happily eat them in front   
of you.”

“And I’ll stick to my toasts—“

“—very boring,”

“very boring toasts and black coffee.” Penelope beamed at Josie. Getting Josie to smile despite her exhausting schedule was the best way to start her day. She was even more pleased when Josie grinned back.

***

Before Penelope could formulate what was happening, Josie dragged her to the last empty booth.   
The place was secluded, set alight with dark hues that Penelope was certain screamed romantic.

“This is new,” Penelope’s voice hitched.

“Hmm?” Josie grabbed the menu, oblivious. Penelope was certain that she already memorized what was written on it. “Scared you’ll lose your street cred if the little ones see you with me? I thought you’re better than that, Penelope.”

Penelope drew her tongue out. “Street cred? What are you, five?”

Penelope let out an indignant “ow!” when Josie kicked her under the table.

Josie laughed in a way that Penelope knew was always reserved for her. Her lips stretched open wide, care-free, and her loud sweet, joyful laughter tickled her ears like an opus. Josie’s laughter left a permanent mark on her, and she like an addict, she wanted to hear them again.

Of course, like everything in her life, moments such as this would always be fleeting. Her laughter—their shared laughter—ended with Hope’s arrival.

To say that Hope’s dramatic entrance was angelic beneficence was a large understatement: the girl was wearing a white dress and it clung on her chest so tight it could be mistaken as her second skin. Her red hair, coiffed perfectly, looked absolutely beautiful under the beam of fluorescence above her.

Penelope’s eyes trailed to Hope, then back to Josie, and couldn’t help but to feel a surge of possessiveness when Josie gave Hope the smile she knew was always reserve to her.

“Hope? You’re here?”

“Of course I’m here. You invited me, remember?”

As though stuck underwater, everything seemed to slow down and warbled as Penelope looked at the girls in front of her.

Josie’s mouth curved into a smile and Penelope had a sudden suspicion that she can’t quite put her finger on. Josie was smiling, a bright one, yet she could tell that something was off. Her fingers drummed the table and there was a palpable nervousness emanating from her.

Why was Josie suddenly squirrely? Penelope thought.

Her eyes slowly snapped to the mood lighting in their booth, back to the dress Hope was wearing. Of course, she thought bitterly. Penelope closed her eyes as the idea clicked on her mind.  
Josie and Hope.

The tell-tale sign of liking someone was palpable in Josie’s actions. Her smile was bright as though Hope did something that no else wasn’t able to do. Her body twisted towards her direction, and from there Penelope was certain that Josie was experiencing those kinds of butterflies in her stomach—running wild due to nervousness and exhilaration—something Penelope was only familiar due to secondhand gossips and rom-com binges with Josie.

Josie was clearly smitten with Hope, and Penelope’s mouth suddenly turned sour.

Josie probably thought that inviting her was an act of kindness. It wasn’t. Like a hail on a window pane, the drumming of her heart began to feel excruciatingly relentless.

“I’m so sorry I’m late, Penelope. Milton needs a boundary spell in his room, otherwise… well, you know what it’s like for new vampires. They can be very---”

Penelope’s mind was all over the place despite the mouthwatering black coffee in front of her. Josie was still smiling, glancing at the girl every minute or so. And Hope, to Penelope’s displeasure, was looking back at Josie with delight on her eyes.

Penelope closed her eyes and sighed. Her fingers trembled when she took a sip of her coffee.  
Josie was too busy eyeing Hope to notice her inner turmoil.

**  
It took a day for Penelope to formulate a better understanding of Hope Marshall and her palpable allure to Josie. Hope had a way with her hands, clearly a budding artist. She was of the same age and riddled with mysterious rumors that only seemed to increase the allure around her. Some students told her that Hope was affiliated with a coven of dark witches. Others told her that Hope was the daughter of powerful yet cursed alphas, which sounded total bullshit to Penelope. 

Along with all this, Hope apparently never recovered from the heartbreak she experienced from her ex, a student who moved away to another county, and apparently that made everything about her… dreamy.

“How do you know all of this?” Josie asked, bewildered.

“You’d be surprised by the number of rumors you can learn from this place.”

“Hope sounds pretty awesome if you put it that way.” Josie closed her eyes, chortling. After a pause, she added, “You like her, right?”

Josie was clearly smitten with Hope. Penelope, with her extensive knowledge of Hope’s background, kind of agree with everyone else that they belong to each other.

So when Josie asked her, in a manner that should be discreet yet palpably obvious, Penelope’s mouth went into a straight line and whispered, “Yeah.”

“Oh?”

“She’s… a good person, I think.” Penelope added lamely. “Despite the not-so-sunny disposition, she’s the kind of girl you want to take out in a dinner or movies.”

Josie nudged her in the shoulders. “I thought so too.”

**

Josie’s schedule suddenly became busier than before, which was surprising since it was almost November. The teachers and staff didn’t even look as though they were doing something heavy; some of them were seen lounging all day with no care in the world.

“I’m still working for my proposal with Hope.” Josie texted one night and Penelope slumped on her bed.

“Movie night next day then?” She replied back, hoping that she didn’t sound desperate for attention.

After a moment Josie texted with a, “I’ll see what I can do.”

Penelope let out a frustrated sigh and covered her face with a pillow.

**

Josie was a no-show the next day.

Penelope saw Hope at the Grill, grinning as though it was the best day of her life.  
Josie showed up next to her, whispering on her ears. She noticed Penelope, ears went pink and gave her a wave.

Penelope plastered a smile on her face, too fake even for her standards.

**

The moment something covered her eyes, Penelope immediately relaxed. The calloused sensation on her skin—warm and smelt akin to vanilla—felt too familiar. Josie.

“So want to know why I was busy the last few days?” Josie whispered as Penelope grasped her hands away from her eyes.

“With Hope?” Penelope turned the page on her spell book even though she was still on the first paragraph.

“Looks like I wasn’t hiding it well, huh?”

Penelope saw the two of them walking side-by-side yesterday, and the day before that, and… Penelope thought of why Josie would think of such thing when everyone was literally gossiping that she and Hope were dating.

“Nope,” Penelope replied succinctly, her tone with a hard edge.

Josie blinked, confused. “So you already know about tomorrow night, then?”

Penelope shook her head.

“Some guy working at the Grill is having a party in the woods.”  
“Cool.”

“It’s later at 10 pm.”

Penelope closed her eyes. The idea of party—booze and dancing—should have sounded like an answered prayer in her ears but it didn’t. Penelope immediately knew why and she simply didn’t want   
to think about it.

“I don’t know Josie, I’m still…” Penelope willed herself to think of an excuse, a real one. “doing my math assignment.”

“You told me yesterday that math can fuck itself.”

“Well, I changed my mind.”

“Penelope, come on,” Josie whined. “I thought you like parties. Milton's back in his room so Hope’s—”

“I don’t want to do go a stupid high school party, okay? Go ask Hope if you want to a chaperone or something.”

Penelope already hated herself the moment the words left her mouth. Self-hatred stung her chest. 

Penelope felt stupid when her eyes landed on Josie’s misty eyes. Fuck.

Josie stopped on her tracks. “Right. I’m sorry.”

“Josie.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow once you’re done with your math assignment.”

There was a sniffle, a shuffling of feet, and the familiar sound of the door closing.

Penelope buried her head in her pillows.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Without further ado, chapter 4.

“That party sure is a wild one.”

“Milton, focus!” Penelope snapped her fingers at the distracted vampire. “Now inhale slowly and breathe out.”

There was a hacking cough, followed by an array of books plummeting down. In less than a second, Milton managed to open his windows, letting in the moonlight shine through his room.

Milton Greasley was not the boy Penelope would associate with the term “scary vampire”. In her life as the remaining morally upright Park of her coven, Penelope had to learn to sort out the wicked supernatural she had met and learned over the years: for instance, Greater Evil was reserved for the likes of the Original Family, their atrocities towards humanity and the supernatural meant she would rather die than join or be associated with them. Then there was Evil, for her parents and by extension Kai Parker, who was evil enough to be worshipped by delusional witches, but not wicked enough to be called as brutal sadistic monsters.

Surprisingly, Milton didn’t fit in any of the categories. Even more surprising was that Milton looked nothing like the whispers she had heard from the gossipmongers of the school: up close he was nothing but a scrawny, nerdy-looking vampire in a cardigan, far from what she imagined. He looked nothing like the image she conjured from the snippets of stories about a bloodthirsty vampire who bested and almost ripped Dr. Saltzman throat out.

“I told you to inhale slowly,” Penelope gritted. Her shaking fingers wound around her own spliff as she began to light it.

“Fast reflexes, sorry.” M.G wheezed. “Remind me again why you’re here with me and not outside, where there’s an awesome party going on?”

Penelope gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “I’m the first person besides Hope you talked to for a month and this is how you treat me?”

“Look, I’m glad someone’s brave enough to talk to me, a new vampire, but _come on_. Penelope? You’re Penelope, right? I’m not mixing your name with the other names I’m hearing right now? God, that party’s wild—“

“Milton,” Penelope sighed, momentarily closing her eyes. “The point of this exercise is to help you focus and relax. So, why don’t you do as you’re told and try to calm down?”

Milton eyed the spliff in his hand with great distaste. “You sure this is going to help me? Hope said that the best way to learn self-control is through isolating myself from other students.”

Penelope raised her eyebrow. “And where did that got you?”

“Bored, still hungry,” M.G whispered slowly, eyeing the sliver of her neck. With a shrug, he inhaled the spliff as precisely as she instructed, closing his eyes as he did so.  “Definitely still hungry. Hope said that my thirst will slowly diminish by the end of the year. So, maybe you shouldn’t be here? Just in case I decided to…um feed on you.”

“Look, Milton. You can listen to Hope Marshall all you want and develop a “sunny” disposition just like her or you can try my technique because let’s face it, you haven’t accomplished shit.” Penelope stood, rolling her sleeves up to her elbow.

“Still hungry?” Penelope waved her wrist at him. It was a gamble, Penelope knew that, but she had always been confident of her abilities. “Don’t cover your eyes, Milton.”

The vampire whimpered, backing away.

“Open your eyes.”

With one eye open, Milton sniffed the air and focused on her wrist like a hawk. After a long pregnant pause, confusion slowly appeared on his lips.

“It actually worked!” Milton said slowly, sputtering in delight. “I can’t smell blood and I feel…calm. How did you do it?” The smile that accompanied the question was too charming to merit circumvention.

“I’m a very powerful witch, Milton.” Penelope winked. “Also, I may or not be the poster child for self-control.”

They stayed spread-eagle for a while, basking in the earthy smell of the room and Milton’s stories about his human life.

“I was average, for a human,” Milton whispered, drawing circles in the air to pass time. “Average grades, average looks… Never gets the girl. Definitely boring life.”

“And you think vampirism could turn your life around?” Penelope asked, curious. “Make you above average or something?”

“I don’t know, it’s not like I asked for it.” Milton sputtered defensively. “Sure I can run really fast and everything but it sure as hell not normal. I won’t be able to go to school anymore and work with my nan. ‘Definitely won’t wake up again never feeling that I want a human's blood so much in my life.”

Penelope huffed, feeling lightheaded. “You miss being normal?”  

“Don’t you? I mean for a witch, you’re not exactly normal.” Milton tapped his ears at the sight of Penelope’s questioning look. “I’ve heard a lot of things about you.”

Penelope faltered. “And do you believe them?”

The vampire’s eyes locked on like magnets, studying her with a predator’s unwavering attention. Penelope raised her eyebrow, waiting for the verdict. In the end, Milton merely shrugged.

“You’re nice to me. But I do get where they’re coming from. You do have this whole dark evil temptress thing going on.”

Penelope chortled. “You’re an idiot.”

Milton’s laughter joined hers.

Penelope began to casually converse with the vampire and smoked without changing position on her side of the floor, until long after the distant beat of the music seized and she was roused by the shuffles of the footsteps outside. Only then she did realize that she had been talking for a long time without hesitation, smiles came naturally, and that while she smoked and bonded with the vampire, she had thought more about him than about her own plan.

“You miss it, don’t you?” Milton asked again. He was changing his shirt, getting ready for bed. Penelope managed to steer the conversation toward innocuous subjects, but apparently, Milton was one of those perceptive people who can see right through her.  “Being normal?”

Penelope frowned, her mind foggy from the fumes of the room. “I don’t know exactly by what you mean as normal.”

Milton raked his fingers through his hair. “When was the last time you have a life without feeling emotionally exhausted? The last time you had people to support you when you need it the most or not having to give up on your dreams because you turned into a vampire. You know… that kind of normal.”

Penelope closed her eyes. There was an ache at the back of her head that reminded her that she was still not fully adjusted to the idea of sharing her feelings, much less to a stranger. The ache on her heart, on the other hand, told that she knew exactly what Milton was talking about.

Josie.

Every day with Josie was her new normal and her heart nearly leaped out of her chest at the sudden realization. Spending time with Josie was the only time she never felt like she was an outsider, that she wasn’t a waste of space at Salvatore Boarding School. Josie made her feel like a normal witch barren of chaotic family background and equally confusing emotions… And Hope Marshall just had to ruin that.

“Yeah, I do.” Penelope exhaled, her fist crushing the spliff sitting on her palm. “I miss being normal.”

***

“Hey, Penelope.”

Penelope stepped toward the bedroom door, remembering that Hope would come back just before midnight.

“Hmm?”

“You’re going to come back, right?” There was an expectant look shining on Milton’s eyes.  “I could be your new stoner friend or something. I won’t tell anyone that you’re here, promise.” There was a lilting witticism at the end but Penelope was certain that Milton was secretly hoping that she would say yes.

Penelope paused, closing her eyes.

The truth was, Penelope’s unexpected visit was fueled out of anger and jealousy, both of which she would never admit loudly to herself. Milton was a distraction. He was supposedly a good distraction as by the rumors she heard, the newly turned vampire almost butchered an entire high school football team because he was hungry.

She closed the door again, rather pink in the face, and slumped back against the wall. She groaned. She would have liked Josie to “discover” her hanging out with a vicious predator she managed to tame into submission. She would have liked it very much if it proved that she was as _cool_ and hardass as Hope Marshall. If she knew Milton was nothing but a dorky vampire with poor impulse control, she wouldn’t have chosen to be in the same room as him, smelling like weed, clutching a comic book that he jokingly stashed on her jacket as a bribe.

“Yeah sure,” Penelope said, surprising herself at the sudden outburst. Milton was kind enough to not make fun of her despite the fact that all she did was evade his personal questions and talked about was Josie Saltzman.  “I’d come back, with or without the weed.”

“Cool,” Milton’s smile was disarmingly charming that it pleased her knowing that she made him smile. “Before you leave, I was thinking of changing my name. Regular me is Milton and I’m not that anymore, so I figured a new name would—“

“Get to the point, Milton.” Listening to other people other than Josie was still not her strong suit.

“How does M.G sound to you?” Milton scratched his head. “Too nerdy? Dorky? You know what? Forget about it. In fact, forget that I suggested changing my name. It’s stupid—“

“M.G sounds nice,” Penelope interjected.

“Yeah?”

Penelope rolled her eyes. “Yeah. I mean the name’s above average. But that’s what you’re aiming for right?”

Milton chortled at the inside joke.

“Can I leave now?”

“But Peez, I haven’t told you about the secret handshake yet!”

Penelope slammed the door, laughing.

***

Penelope made up her mind. She would apologize to Josie for her sudden outburst with coffee and pancakes in hand, and if warranted, beg Josie to forgive her. She sighed. As much as she absolutely hated the idea of apologizing to people, she would do it for Josie. Josie was the only person she would consider worth making an apology for.

She knew she looked stupid carrying a heavy breakfast tray in one hand. The looks the other students gave her annoyed her the most, but Josie, she gritted her teeth with each step, was worth it. She was worth all the funny looks she received from every student on her way to the dorms.

Balancing the tray in one hand, she set it down on the table in front of Josie’s room. All she needed to do was to knock.

“Penelope, there you are!” The door flew open and a familiar fierce hug enveloped hers, hands snaking on her back. Penelope sunk into the warmth, appreciating the unexpected gesture. “I went out looking for you when I heard about the news—“

“Josie, calm down.” Penelope murmured, steadying the shaking girl into her arms. Josie looked two seconds away from crying and it wiped the smile off her mouth. “What did say about the news?”

“My sister’s coming back.”

“And…that’s not a good thing?” Penelope didn’t mean to blurt it out loud, but there was something about Josie’s demeanor that told her that news was far from pleasant.

“It is! I miss her so much.” Josie whispered on her shoulder, sniffing. Penelope was certain that tone sounded like she was convincing herself. “It’s just…”

“Just what?”

Josie shook her head, biting her lip. She wasn’t acting normally like she used to. Her smile looked like façade, a mask she had to wear in front of everyone. It was as if the news broke a chink in her armor, leaving her vulnerable.

Why? Penelope thought suddenly; ready to use her magic to whatever or whoever was making Josie feel this way.

“I…Why don’t we continue this conversation later? I have errands to run for my twin and can you please help me find…”Josie said looking around, looking frazzled. Her gaze landed on the clock, eyes immediately turning round in shock. “Shoot! I still have to do the proposal with Hope. I totally forgot—“

“I’ll do it,” Penelope said mechanically. “Go do your errands. But we will talk later, yeah?”

“You’re the best, Pen.” Josie nodded, kissing her cheek.

Later that afternoon, Penelope heard Josie crying inside her room. The plate of pancakes and coffee looked cold and untouched, stashed next to the hibiscus plant on the side of the door. She wanted to knock, but her instincts told her that Josie would prefer to be left alone.

***

The news that Josie’s twin was back from the god-know-where became common knowledge within the school over the next day, and to Penelope’s amazement, hardly anyone appeared to be upset about it other than Josie. There was only one topic of conversation in the corridors now: the story of Milton Greasley, suddenly free from probation, had finally filtered through the school from those few people who enjoy gossiping about everything.

Rumors were flying that Milton was only acting it out and would probably snatch an innocent witch for a snack once no one was looking. Those who helped Dr. Saltzman smuggle Milton inside the school now found themselves the unwilling objects of interrogation as they walked the corridors.

“You sure he’s not going suck us dry?”

“Alar—I mean, the Headmaster wouldn’t ask me to let him out if he thinks Milton’s a threat right?” Hope whispered harshly, shooing the nosy students who attached themselves to her hip. Out of sight, Penelope found herself basking in the delight of seeing Hope exasperated at the angry crowd. “Let it go.”

“I don’t know how you stand it, it’s horrible,” a student said bluntly. “Didn’t your family in New Orleans dealt with bloodthirsty vampires like him?”

Hope stopped on her tracks. “The next person who’s going to ask me questions will definitely--” the students following her ran pell-mell, leaving her alone in the hallway. “Okay good. Penelope, you can come out now.”

Penelope stepped out of the shadows, raising her hand in surrender.

Hope gave her an appraising look. “You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

“Can you blame me?”

Penelope received a sardonic smirk in response. “Josie’s absolutely mad if she thinks we can create a better proposal than her.”

Or work together, Penelope thought sullenly.

While it was true that Milton was the new subject of muttering and pointing in the corridors the next day, Penelope still detected a tone of indifference directed to her from the students and teachers alike. They sounded curious as to why Penelope would hang out with a vampire with little self-control, wary to Milton as she overheard snatches of conversation from the whisperers suggesting that the boy would probably lose control in a matter of days.

“I still don’t understand why they still hate you,” Penelope whispered. “It’s not like you weren’t the first vampire here who wasn’t able to control their thirst.”

“Hear hear,” M.G said, bumping her fist with hers. Out of the corner of her eyes, Hope looked irritated.

They were in M.G’s room. Penelope and Hope figured out that the best way to work together was by hitting two birds in one stone: babysitting M.G and secluding themselves away from the annoying whisperers who wouldn’t dare to approach the second wing corridor.

Penelope and M.G also figured that the best course of action to appease Hope was to pretend that they have never talked to each other before. Hope, much to Penelope’s delight, lost her out-of-town privileges since she failed to personally train M.G to be “more composed”. It was wrong, Penelope knew that, but she was also a slave to her own emotions, which was telling her that Hope’s misfortunes were blessings in disguise.

“You’d think at this point they’d figure out that I’m just a good guy. Even behind these.” The vampire extended his fangs.

Out of habit, Hope whirled around. Her stance was locked-in and ready as though she was about to cast a spell. “You are feeling okay, M.G? No dizziness?”

“Nope,” M.G said, grinning. “I just found out that I can extend them even without feeling hungry.”

“Are you sure?” Hope pressed and the vampire nodded in response. “Good. You are so much better at self-control than most people I know.”

“Like who?”

“Josie’s tw—“

“So, no sudden urge to bite Hope’s neck?” Penelope supplied out-of-blue. It was immature, sure, but Penelope seethed internally when she heard Josie’s name escaped from Hope’s lips. It felt wrong and right at the same time, like her possessive nature was telling that Hope should never express softness while uttering Josie’s name, her sensible side screaming at her that she wasn’t being rational.

“That’s not funny.”

Penelope shrugged, drowning it the thoughts. “I’m not joking.”

“Chill out, mother hens.” M.G laughed nervously. “Peez did me a great service. I’m no longer ravenous for blood. See? I’m not biting anyone.”

“Ravenous,” Penelope said, turning around. “That’s a big word, even for you.”

“I’m just trying to turn my life around. That means new Milton: smart, funny, dashing debonair who can definitely get any girl.”

The two of them laughed.

Hope folded her arms, looking pissed. “Can we all stop pretending that the two of haven’t actually bonded before any of this? I don’t know about the others but I sure as hell don’t buy that M.G just suddenly became the poster boy for self-control, without any help.”

M.G looked guilty and Penelope had the sudden urge to protect him from Hope’s inquiring look.

“If you’re implying something spit it out.” Penelope challenged.

“I think you know what I’m implying, _Peez._ ”

“Okay! I think it’s time for me to leave…wait this is my room.”

“M.G, you can go to mine. It’s in--”

“Oh please, like M.G doesn’t know where you sleep Penelope.”

“I’ll leave but don’t hex each other!”

M.G’s feet slip outwards on the floorboards as he threw the door open and the cold evening air washed over, fitting to the charged yet icy atmosphere of the room. Once M.G was out of sight, Penelope stood ram-rod against the wall.

“Well, go on then.”

Hope looked absolutely livid at the condescending tone.

Hope went straight to the pedal. “You didn’t attend the party because you went here and did something to M.G.”

Penelope fought the need to roll her eyes. “I didn’t do something, I _helped_ him. You’re making it sound like I did something wrong.”

 “Because you did! God, Penelope. You’re a jerk, you know that? That’s my mission, not yours.” Hope seethed.

“You weren’t doing a great job with him so I stepped in,” Penelope sputtered hotly.

“Bullshit. You stepped in because you want to take the credit.” Hope goaded and Penelope wanted to wipe the smile off her face. “You want to be the person the people will think tamed the big bad vampire. It’s all because you want them to see you differently.”

“I don’t care about people’s perspective of me.” Penelope crossed her arms. “Shocking, I know.”

“But you care about Josie’s.” Hope shot back and her eyes were round as coins at the sudden realization. “You did this because of Josie.”

.“It’s not about Jo—“

“You’re jealous.” Hope steamrolled, letting out a mirthless laugh. “You did this because of her. Josie told me you started to act weird after the meeting… Then that day at the Grill, I thought it was just a trick of the light but you did actually look like two seconds away from ripping my head off. You didn’t attend the party because Josie told you that I invited her. So you snuck in Milton’s room because you want to prove yourself to her…You’re jealous because you thought I’m stealing her away from you.”

The air crackled with energy, like an impending hurricane approaching the coast.

“I’m not jealous!” The lie tasted bitter on her lips.

“Keep telling yourself that.” Hope sneered as if something good were about to happen. Good for Hope was likely bad for her. Very bad. “You know I actually thought we could be friends.”

Me too, Penelope thought harshly as Hope gathered her things, stashing them in her bag.

“But you’re just as selfish as Lizzie. You don’t want to share Josie like she’s your possession or something. You want her to stop doing whatever she wants to do and give up on her own happiness because you can’t deal with the fact that she has friends other than you.”

“Is that what you really think of me?” Penelope’s smirk was devoid of warmth or humor. Her hands balled behind her, shaking.

“Prove me otherwise.”

Penelope wanted to scream. Hope was at the advantage, not because of what she said, but because Hope could literally crush her world in the blink of an eye. Hope had always been the antithesis of Penelope, she knew that now and that was something she couldn’t contest at all. Hope was smarter than her, better at witchcraft, perhaps the best one in the entire school, and…Hope was Josie’s longtime crush.

All those small talks about Hope made her aware that Josie carried a torch for the witch. And Hope, with gut-wrenching pain in Penelope's heart, never considered the fact that Josie was madly infatuated with her, ever since they were kids.  It made her furious. It made her see red whenever Hope and Josie were together in the same room. Being loved by Josie and turning it down? Penelope couldn’t think anything more sacrilegious than that.

“That’s what I thought.” Hope had the gall look crestfallen. “Penelope, you’re so goddamn blind, you know that? That day at the Grill… Josie never invited me. I was there because of a guy and I chickened out so I went to your booth. Every time Josie was with me doing this stupid proposal, you’re all she talked about. She invited you to go to a party, something she would never do without her twin because she wanted to be with you.”

Hope’s next words felt like a punch in a gut. “Josie likes you, not me. And apparently, you’re too blind to see that.”

She went towards the door.

“Figure out what you want to do with that information,” Hope said. “Also, have fun explaining to Josie why we weren’t able to submit a proposal tomorrow.”

***

Penelope watched numbly as the large chattering group took their candles from Professor Tig and rummaged in their robes to find their mementos. She couldn’t imagine why all these students had surrounded her for until the horrible thought occurred to her that they might be expecting some kind of explanation as to why they were still following the strict traditions of Remembrance Day, at which she gave a shrugged in response.

“You never really cared about the proposal, didn’t you?” Elliot snarled, snatching his candles out of the tray. “You just wanted me to look like an idiot waiting for you to actually submit something.”

Penelope heard about the tantrums and the crying, and whispers of Elliot finally losing it at the party because he thought he would lose his spot in the social ladder. She couldn’t care less about his off-tangent remarks, but the vein popping out his neck was too sweet to ignore.

Penelope's eyes gleamed with deviltry. “Took you long enough to catch up.”

Professor Tig dragged a screaming Elliot away from the crowd.

Penelope joined the throng of students, wending her way between the teachers, some of whom were carrying baskets of fruits and wine, others writing for their departed loved ones as they walk. As she passed by the gravestones, Penelope saw M.G waving at her, flowers in hand.

“I’m the only dead person in the family,” M.G joked as they sat on the ground. “So I wanted to help out the others.”

“Yeah?” Penelope flattened the grass. “Who did you help?”

“Dr. Saltzman. Did you know that his wife’s dead?” Penelope felt her heart stopped. “I cleaned the tombstone and left some flowers in there. There was a girl there, you know. Crying.”

“J-Josie?”

“That was Josie?” M.G looked amazed. “Dang, I get it. I get it why you like her so much. She’s amazing. She’s nice to me even though I put her dad and those students in the hospital—“

“M.G focus. Was she angry with how it turned out?” Penelope waved her hand around, gesturing to the mass of somber looking students.

“Nah, nothing like that. Just sad that her mom died early and she never really got the chance to meet her.” M.G said softly, his eyes flitted away from her. “And…um... she’s sad that her mom wasn’t able to meet you actually.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah,” M.G’s face was as pink as her. “She also said that…um… spending time with you is the best thing in her life right now.”

Penelope fidgeted. “She said that to you?”

“I may or may not have used my super-hearing,” M.G added guiltily.

“M.G!”

“I can’t help it, I swear! I’m still not used to my powers.” M.G raised his hands in surrender. “Peez, she’s fine. All she talked about was you. All the good things. She’s not bummed out by—“

“my inability to work well with others?” Penelope ripped the grass on her foot. “I wasn’t able to do a simple thing M.G. All I have to do was work with Hope and I failed.”

“Peez,” M.G sighed.

“You heard everything Hope said, right? How I only approached you because I want the credit for myself? Cos that’s true.”

“I know.” M.G rolled on the grass and looked up in the sky. “I also know that you stuck around because you want to befriend a vampire who’s as lonely as you. Face it P, you’re not as bad as you think you are. And Josie thinks so too.”

Penelope groaned, lying flat on her back in the hot, hard earth. Her head and insides writhed with guilt from not being to complete a simple task that was working with Hope. It would have made Josie’s day, she thought. M.G looked at her with understanding written on his eyes.

Soon, the night fell around and the air turned cold. The dry expanse of the cemetery turned empty and the only sound was the hooting of the owls beyond the school boundary. She didn’t know how long she had been lying before the sound of voices interrupted her musings.

“Students,” M.G said. “Probably looking for us. You’re not going to spend your night here dodging Josie right?”

“I’m not dodging Josie.”

“I know you really don’t want to hear this again but Hope’s right,” M.G muttered slowly. “Josie likes you, a lot. So go find her.”

“I don’t deserve her, M.G” Penelope muttered. “She’s…all smiles and warmth, and pretty much love everyone around her with the passion hotter than thousand burning suns. She makes everyone around her happy and complete. She’s a literal angel, can’t you see that? She deserves someone who’s going to make her feel the same. ”

M.G cocked his head, smiling. “And Josie pretty much admitted that that person is you.  And if you really want to see her happy, do yourself a favor and go find her.”

***

Two things sustained Penelope that night. One was the thought that she undeniably and utterly adored Josie, more than she had dared to admit; the other was that confessing her feelings was frightening, perhaps the most frightening than she ever faced in her life. She had a distant view of that with any luck; Josie would still be friends with her assuming that her feelings weren’t reciprocated. These were rather feeble rays of light, but Penelope was grateful for anything that would involve Josie in her life.

At eleven o’clock that evening she knocked on Josie’s door, and a weak “come in” filtered through the wall. She timidly opened the door, aware that everyone else on the floor was fast asleep.

Penelope waved Josie, who awoke with a jerk as she whispered hello in the dark.

“Oh, Penelope, it’s you. I thought you’re someone else.” Josie said blearily.

“Should I leave?” Penelope turned towards the door.

“Whu? No! Sit here next to me. I’m just so — so — so tired,” she yawned, patting on the extra space on her bed. “I was up all day doing errands for my sister.”

“Right. Lizzie.” Penelope sat and Josie immediately helped her maneuver her legs inside the blankets.

Josie nodded. “She’s coming back.”

“I know, you told me that…” Penelope trailed off. “Josie I want to tell you something.”

“Hmm?”

“I…um…” She gesticulated, unable to convey properly that was her whirlwind of emotion.

“If you’re thinking of apologizing about the proposal, don’t. I don’t know what came to me that day and why I agreed to _a party_.” Josie shook her head, wistful. “The point is, it shouldn’t have been your responsibility.”

“It’s not about that,” Penelope said weakly. “Its…”

“If it’s about you sneaking inside Milton, no M.G’s room, it’s fine. M.G told my dad and dad said you’re the only person who managed to help M.G feel like a normal person.”

“M.G said—no, wait, I need to tell you something important.”

“Is this about your spat on with Hope, I completely understand. Hope can be very—“

“Josie! Penelope’s mouth went very dry. She grabbed Josie’s shoulder, immediately stopping her from talking, and Penelope was suddenly aware that she was so near she could have counted the wisps of hair tickling Josie’s forehead. “It’s hard to say and I really can’t put it to words like those flowery proses in those novels that you always read.”

Josie’s shoulder tensed at her words.

“I like you, Josie. So much. I feel like I have always liked you even from the very moment you found me hiding in the library. From the moment I laid eyes on you and every moment I spend in this school… everything, every instance, everything good and selfless that I did have been about you. I know it would be a lot easier for both of us to stay friends and I’ll respect if you want to stay friends… All I can say is that I like you so much Jojo and it’s driving me crazy and I don't know what to do with it.”

Josie made a funny noise halfway between a sob and a giggle.

“I really like you too, P. Very very much.”

Penelope finally understood why people associate kissing with fireworks. Granted, Josie was not her first kiss but the moment her lips touched hers everything went oddly quiet, like the moment of silence of impending storm, and then suddenly, no all at once, her senses burst with overwhelming vivid colors, like rainbows exploding in the dark.

“Stay here with me?” Josie said softly, forehead touching hers.

Penelope grinned, brushing her mouth against the hollow of her temple, the line of her cheekbones, and finally, her lips were touching hers.

“Always.”

***

Penelope awoke at half-past four the next morning as abruptly and completely as if somebody was watching her from the dark. For a few moments, she lay immobile, alert, and aware that something moving close by. The light shifted and her eyes landed on a blonde girl was standing beside the table, peering down on her with absolute disdain written on her face. Penelope was not having any of that early in the morning.

“Who the hell are you?” Penelope said, sitting upright.

The blonde girl crossed her arms.

“Lizzie Saltzman,” she snarled. “Who are you and why are sleeping next to my sister?”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, if you want to talk about posie or legacies in general, hit me up on Tumblr.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things got rocky once Penelope meets Lizzie

It was Saturday morning, seven days after Lizzie returned to school. Josie had taken her twin out for a quick trip to the pharmacy, leaving Penelope alone with M.G in the commons area.

“How’s your relationship with Josie goin’?” M.G asked.

“All right.”

“And with her sister, Lizzie? She seems really sweet.”

“She’s okay.” Penelope’s tone was indifferent.

M.G looked up from his comics. “What's the problem?"

“Nothing.”

“You know you can tell me anything, right? It’s not like I’m going to tell what you said to Hope.” M.G was still not satisfied. He put down his comic and sat straight on his chair. The subject was not closed yet.

Penelope was thoughtful for a moment. Then she groaned, "Lizzie’s out for my blood. I can feel it."

“Why the hell would---?" M.G broke off, a slow grin lighting his face. “She’s still thinking about you slithering into Josie’s bed?”

“Okay first off, I didn’t slither in her bed,” Penelope sputtered, her face heating up. “Second, I apologized for going off.”

M.G hummed. “And then Josie kicked you out of the room.”

“Politely asked me to give them privacy,” said Penelope.

“And you three never really talked about that again.”

Penelope crossed her arms. “Lizzie’s freezing me out and she’s not keen on sharing Josie either.”

Penelope knew Josie was not interested in exercises of any kind, but Lizzie enjoyed it, so ever since she came back, the crack of dawn was reserved for the twins jogging along the perimeter of the school. Mornings were for Lizzie catching up with her lessons with Josie and since Penelope wasn’t exactly well-versed with the Arts (and wasn’t invited), the only subject Lizzie struggled at, so she knew her presence wasn’t needed. Afternoons were reserved for whatever the hell the twins were doing in their own room, meaning Penelope could only meet her girlfriend an hour before the school curfew.

“Maybe she misses her sister so much. So spending time together without you is not exactly freezing you out.” M.G said thoughtfully and Penelope secretly and begrudgingly agreed to his explanation. “And you’re not exactly um friendly.”

“I’m friendly to you!”

M.G laughed. “And I’m grateful for that. I’ll tell you one thing, teenage girls aren’t exactly a fan of the evil temptress thing you have going on.”

Penelope snorted. “Josie never complained about that.”

“I never complained about what?” a female voice called out. 

Penelope turned. Josie was carrying a huge tray piled to the top with bread, yogurt, and pancakes. Penelope watched, puzzled, as Josie headed for the exit. 

“Where are you going?” Penelope asked. 

“Old Mill. Lizzie wants to have breakfast alone. You can come if you like.” There was a loud groan in the background and Penelope’s irk grew tenfold. Space be damned. Penelope was going to spend time with her girlfriend, whether Lizzie would like it or not.

“I’ll go.” Penelope hefted M.G by his shoulders. “M.G’s coming with us. He wants to meet your sister.”

“I didn’t--” Penelope kicked him in the shins. “Yeah, I really want to meet Lizzie.”

Josie brightened. “That’s so sweet. Do you two would mind if I ask for tea? I can’t carry everything.”

“Why can’t Lizzie carr--”

“We’ll get the tea!” M.G hollered. Once the twins were out of sight, M.G rounded towards her, hands on his hips. “Peez, it’s like you’re intentionally asking Lizzie to hate you or something.”

Penelope raised her hands. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

Penelope wished she had an appetite because the twins knew how to eat.

Sets of old couches were carted into the Old Mill until it resembled a quaint furniture showroom. The twins lounged around the table, talking and laughing while M.G flitted across the room, bringing an endless assortment of fresh-baked cookies, chips, and cold drinks. The whole scene was familiar, it was the same one with the morning routine she had with Josie, yet so completely alien that it nearly gave Penelope vertigo.

All she wanted to do was be with Josie—preferably alone, but she knew she would have to wait. If their relationship was going to where she wanted it to be, it meant getting to know Lizzie and building some goodwill.

As Lizzie excused herself to grab some juice, Josie leaned over and whispered, “I want to show you the movie theatre in town. The place is incredible.”

Penelope should’ve felt thrilled. That sounded exactly what she needed. Instead, resentment swelled in her throat. “Is Lizzie going to be there?”

Josie froze. “Pen. Come on, don’t be like that.”

Penelope swallowed back some biting comments. “Hey, it’s fine. Bring your uh Lizzie.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Josie said nervously. “I had this idea--”

Josie stopped when Lizzie shrieked her name.

“Josie! The yogurt. Someone ate my yogurt.” Lizzie’s eyes zeroed on Penelope, her face turning red. “Did you---”

“It’s right there Lizzie, where you left it.” M.G interrupted, pointing at the edge of the table. Penelope was pretty sure it was a new one, but she saw the anger in Lizzie’s face and she thought, l mustn't upset her. She’d leave with Josie and Penelope would probably not see her girlfriend again until evening. 

“There you go, Lizzie. It’s right there.” Penelope threw M.G a grateful look.

“Right. I thought Pen here ate it...since she likes to take everything that’s mine.”

“Lizzie, calm down.” Penelope sat there, liking Lizzie less and less. She turned to Josie and tried to jest, "You’re twin’s a bit high-maintenance.” 

Based on the look on the twins’ faces, it was a crushing failure.

Lizzie stiffened. "What do you mean by high maintenance?" 

"I’ve had dad clear the docks for you. You can go for a nice walk in the meadow and spend the rest of the morning there. Can you clean the room?" Josie looked at M.G and Penelope pleadingly. 

“Sure,” said M.G. “You two go to the docks without us. Classes are starting anyway.”

Penelope looked at Josie. "I uh I’ll see after class?”

Lizzie stared at her. “Josie’s with me until 6 pm.” The undertones in Lizzie’s voice took Penelope a moment to decipher. Josie looked down, suddenly interested in the trees behind them. Then hit her: it wasn’t a request, it was a flat out authoritative order. 

Josie forced a smile. "I'll get dad to join us, Lizzie. We'll have a good time, won't we?" 

The twins took off, leaving Penelope and M.G alone in the Old Mill. At the distance, the bell let out a cacophonous sound.

“You okay?” M.G asked.

Penelope had no answer.

 

After they had cleaned up, Penelope took the initiative to befriend Lizzie during the Magical History class. It was the first time they’d all sat down together—the four of them. M.G trading jokes with Lizzie, while Josie and Penelope trailed behind them. M.G and Lizzie speaking in a civilized manner should’ve reassured her, but seeing all of them in one place only reminded her that her time with Josie alone wasn’t meant to last. No more easy days at Salvatore School, pretending that her and Josie’s time together was the only thing that mattered. 

In an awkward moment, she and Lizzie tried to sit in the same chair next to Josie. After a brief silent standoff, as if they were both thinking, Seriously?, they ceded the chair to M.G and sat at opposite sides of the room.

Josie threw her a worried look. 

“We’re fine.” She mouthed back, playfully blowing her a kiss, and turning back just in time before Dorian arrived. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw sparks flew out of Lizzie’s hand.

The bell rung and before Penelope could stand, Lizzie grabbed Josie’s hand and ran with her toward the door. 

“I’ll see after class!” Josie yelled. 

“Sure you will,” Penelope muttered bitterly.

 

Josie slamming her back against the broom closet was definitely a surprise. She mumbled something about escorting Jed to the clinic to treat his hand burn, before pulling Penelope in a hug.

Penelope strained against her, but still, she could not get close enough. She pulled back, tiptoed to the foot of the laundry seat, and touched her lips to Josie’s cheek with soft, tender kisses, her hands moving upward until she felt Josie’s heaving chest in her hand. 

“Something is clearly running in your mind.”

“Pen, more hugging. Less talking.”

“Fine. But we’re going to talk after this.” Penelope hugged her more, Josie’s ebbing tension was palpable against her arms.

A few minutes later Penelope whispered, "As much as I want where this is going. I really want to know what you’re thinking. You’re going to share what’s going on here?" She dropped a quick kiss on Josie’s forehead, earning a giggle from her girlfriend. 

"Lizzie’s driving me crazy," Josie confessed. “She’s driving us both crazy.”

Penelope nodded. “I’m sensing that there’s a but in there.”

“She’s my sister. So it’s just natural that I care about her,” Josie fidgeted, her head slamming against the hardwood. “But… is it bad that I want to leave her alone, just to spend time with you?”

Penelope didn’t know how to answer that so she remained silent.

“I really don’t want to make myself choose,” Josie groaned. 

Penelope dropped a kiss on Josie’s nose. “You don’t have to.”

“What do you mean?”

Penelope smiled. “I’m not making you choose. She’s your sister, I understand that. But you’re still taking me to that movie theatre, yeah?”

Josie nodded coyly. “You’re going to like it Pen. They do marathons of old romantic movies. Gone with the Wind, Singing in the Rain…”

“The Notebook?” Penelope teased, earning a blush from Josie. “You and me in a movie theatre, unsupervised? Be careful Jojo, it sounds like your taking me out on a date.”

“That’s because I am.”

Penelope grinned. “Oh?”   
Josie stared longingly at the hollow of her throat, at the sharp line of her jaw and then to her lips. “Go out with me. Tomorrow.”   
“I don’t know Josie,” Penelope fake-groaned. “I have this thing with M.G and…”  
In one impatient movement, Josie lunged towards her mouth. It wasn’t very a graceful moment, but as her lips captured hers, Penelope found she didn’t care. She froze, just for a second, but then both her hands snaked its way to Josie’s cheeks and she was kissing back, and her mind focused on a single thought: impatient Josie tasted so fucking good.

“Pen, you didn’t answer my question,” Josie mumbled on her lips.

“Well, it’s hard to talk when your mouth’s near mine.” 

Josie slapped her playfully in the shoulders. “Come on. Say yes.”

“You already know the answer to that.”

“But I want you to say it.”

“Fine,” Penelope chortled. “I’ll go out with you.”

Josie grinned. “I’ll take a kiss as a confirmation.” 

Penelope was about to give her a kiss when someone pushed open the broom closet. They found themselves looking at Lizzie, looking at them with absolute distaste. At that moment, all thoughts about kissing Josie was replaced by a sudden urge to hex her sister. Wrestling with this burst of annoyance, she heard Josie’s voice as if from a great distance away. 

“Lizzie, what are you doing here?”

“You were taking so long, I thought Jed was giving you a hard time or something,” Lizzie scowled. “Apparently you have other things to do.”

Penelope couldn’t help it. She smirked, making a show of wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Josie was looking embarrassed.

“Er….come on, Lizzie. Let’s go back to class.”

Lizzie crossed her arms. “Hopefully, this is a one-time thing. I don’t want to find my sister making out in public.”

“Oh please, this is a broom closet. It was empty 'til you came butting in.” blurted Penelope, tossing her hair out of her face to glare at Lizzie. Words flew right off her mouth, without thinking. “Look, Lizzie. I know you care about your sister so much but let’s get this straight once and for all. It is none of your business if your sister wants to go out with me.”

“Yeah, it is!” Lizzie hissed, not bothering to beat around the bush. ‘I don’t want people associating my sister to you. What? You thought I wouldn’t know everything about you just because I was away?”

“Right. Well, what did you learn then?”

“Everyone had the pleasure of telling me of your dark past.”

Penelope scoffed. “Dark past? I wasn’t even born when my parents conspired with Kai!”

Lizzie snarled. “You’re still a Park. By extension, you’re the reason why our bio-mom’s gone.”

“She doesn’t mean it, Pen –’ said Josie automatically, who was now raising her arms outstretched.

“Oh yes she does!” said Penelope, flaring up at Josie all of a sudden. That was definitely below the belt and Josie was still sticking up to her twin. “Blaming me for the death of your mom so you can find a way to hate me? That’s pathetic.”

A streak of yellow light missed Penelope by inches as Josie pushed her up against the wall.

“Lizzie!” shouted Josie, who sounded close to tears now. “Penelope, please stop.”

Penelope let out a burst of derisive laughter. “Me? Seriously, Josie?” 

And with that, Lizzie stormed away. Josie quickly let go of Penelope; the look on her face screamed disappointment. They both stood there, breathing heavily until M.G appeared in front of them. 

“I heard shouting,” said M.G. “Everything okay in there?”

“You know damn well we’re not.”

“You’re gonna argue with him too?” Josie snapped, then scowled at M.G first, then at Penelope. “I’m going after my sister.”

“Yeah, you do that.”

“I’ll talk to you later.”

“Don’t even bother Josie. You and I both know your sister won’t let you.”

As Josie pushed past into the darkening corridor, she shot Penelope a dark look that Penelope returned with interest. 

“You’re not going after her?”

Penelope shook her head. 

“As much as I hate to admit it, I’m pretty sure she wants you to go after her.” M.G pointed at his ears. “She’s really frustrated.”

Penelope gulped. “Then she has to wait until morning.”

M.G groaned.

 

It was almost midnight and Penelope saw the twins, Josie in front, walking out of the forest. They were dressed up in their nightgowns and Lizzie looked as if she was heaving, her face pink. It’s only then that Penelope realized the twins snuck out, just like her and M.G.

“See that?” asked M.G. “Think they’ll rat us out if they see us?”

“No,” said Penelope, stuffing the weed back in her pants. “That’s low, even for Lizzie.”

“You’re going to apologize to her… Or Josie?”

“Nope.”

M.G sighed. “I figured you wouldn’t.”

When the twins ran towards the back door, Lizzie walked up to her twin and said something. Her voice became raised, talking so fast that Penelope could tell that she was pissed. Josie crossed her arms, her body tensed. 

“What are they arguing about?” Penelope whispered as they hid behind the bushes. “Also, why were they in the woods?”

“Can’t tell you,” M.G whispered back. “It’s private.”

Penelope scowled at him.

“Look. It’s better if you hear it from Josie.”

To kill time, Penelope walked M.G back to his room and helped him clean the remnants of the weed that clung on his shirt. Just then, someone knocked.

“Is it Hope?”

“It’s Josie. She’s looking for you.”

Penelope almost ran to the door.

“Also she’s with…”

Too late, Penelope pulled the door open. Josie had her hair down, falling past her shoulders. Lizzie was leaning against the hallway, disinterest in her eyes. Penelope’s smile deflated.

“Hey, you,” said Josie. Behind her, Lizzie looked as if she would rather be caught for sneaking out than be with her sister.

“Hi.”

Josie wrapped her arms around Penelope in a tentative hug. Then she pulled away.

“Hi, M.G. Would you mind if I steal Penelope for a moment?”

“Not at all. I don’t like her anyway.” M.G joked, earning a chuckle from Lizzie. Penelope could tell that the other Saltzman twin was already captivated by his boyish charm. “Also, stay out of the shortcut, Hope’s patrolling the east wing.”

“Oh joy,” whispered Lizzie. “Come on, Josette. I need to sleep.”

Josie surprised Penelope by taking her hand and the three of them crept down the hallway until they find the door that must be to twins’ bedroom. The door was cracked open and Penelope was pushed inside.

“I figure the three of us could have a sleepover or something.”

Penelope and Lizzie groaned. 

“What did I do deserve this?” asked Lizzie. 

“I’m trying to work this thing together for the three of us,” Josie hissed, just as angrily. “Is that too much to ask?” She went to her bed, spreading the blanket as hard as she could. “All I want is for my two favorite people is to hit it off and be happy. But… apparently.” Flames flickered on her fingers. “I’m too stupid to believe that my life’s finally getting better.”

Life’s finally getting better? What was that supposed to mean?

“Jo--”

“Sleep wherever you want.” Josie sniffled, curling into a ball around her pillow. Penelope wasn’t sure whether it was meant for her or Lizzie.

Penelope stopped dead. Guilt flooded her. She looked back at the Lizzie as if she wanted to say something to her, but thought better of it.

“Come here, Jo.” Lizzie snuggled her sister before sending a glare to Penelope. She didn't say another word on the subject as she pushed herself next to her Josie. “Don’t cry.”

“I’ll uh… leave.” Penelope jerked her thumb towards the hallway. 

“You really are emotionally stunted as they s--” Lizzie took a deep breath and looked as if stopping herself from hurling more insults. “I’m sure Josie would appreciate if you stay here.”

“Right,” Penelope muttered. “I’ll sleep in your bed then.”

Lizzie threw her a dark look. She motioned her head and Penelope followed, her eyes zeroed on the dusty cot underneath Lizzie’s bed. 

“You know what? I’ll sleep in the cot.” Penelope almost rolled her eyes. “I’ll...hold your hand if you want, Jojo.”

“Yes please,” Josie mumbled, her hand slipped under the covers.

The twins fell asleep quickly but Penelope lay awake, turning it all over in her mind. Her last, comforting thought before she fell asleep was that even if Josie was having problems with her life, she somehow made it better, even for just a while… But she couldn’t see how Lizzie fit in that problem, the way Josie talked about her before her twin came back from Denver was that Lizzie was the perfect sister. Penelope knew very well how deep their sisterly bond was even before she met Josie, everyone attested to that-- she yawned and turned over -- surely, Josie was just stressed or something...

 

Penelope drifted awake. She wasn’t sure what woke her up, whether it was the crick on her neck or the cold floor kissing her feet. Either way, she turned over, barely opening her eyes, and vaguely recognize what she was peeking at. 

Lizzie was sniffling, staring at her twin. Lizzie’s eyes were bloodshot. Her chin was trembling. She looked… scared. Lizzie shifted forward and her hand was on her twin’s waist. Josie looked dead asleep on her arms.

“Jo, I’m trying okay? Sometimes I feel like you don’t see that.” Lizzie kissed her cheeks. “I’ll try my medications again, I promise.”

It felt heavy. Private. Penelope didn’t want to hear more so she closed her eyes and willed herself to fall asleep.


	6. chapter 6

Penelope awoke very suddenly the next morning. Wondering what had caused her unexpected return to the land of the living; she opened his eyes and saw someone with blue eyes staring at her, so close they were almost nose to nose. It took her a second to register who it was.

"Lizzie!" Penelope yelled, scrambling away from the blonde so fast she almost fell off the cot.

Lizzie looked thrilled at her reaction. “Finally, took you long enough to wake up.”

“What do you need?” said Penelope, still breathing rather faster than usual.

“I need you to get out of bed and get ready for your…” For a moment, Lizzie looked like she was struggling to find an appropriate word. She grumbled and disdainfully settled with, “date with my twin. She’s coming out of the shower so I need you out ASAP.”

“Okay,” said Penelope in a rush. “Is she still mad at us?” Lizzie looked at her as if she had gone crazy. Right. The twin thing probably meant no apologies or any form of proper reconciliation. Josie would never be angry at her twin, end of story.

“Is she still mad at me?” Penelope asked.

Lizzie looked satisfied hearing her new question. “As much as I don’t want to meddle with my sister’s dalliances--”

“Relationship.”

“I’m sure that she’s not angry at you,” Lizzie steamrolled, acting as though she had not heard Penelope’s reply.  “Look, I know this is her idea and frankly I’m pretty sure that she’s sweating buckets right now. Whatever happens later, just tell her that her date ideas are wonderful.”

“You’re acting as if Josie’s not capable of pulling this off,” said Penelope as Lizzie pushed her out of the room. She tripped on the doorsill.

“I know Jo way more than you,” Lizzie went on quickly, her eyes landing on the hallway. Josie came out a few seconds later, her hair still dripping with water. “Just don’t make her panic okay? Crazy things happen when she’s panicking.”

Penelope snorted.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Abandoning Lizzie alone, Penelope got quickly to her feet and met Josie halfway.

“Hey,” She went for a kiss, but immediately froze when Josie side-stepped her. She ducked her head out of the way. “Are you still mad?”

Josie laughed. “What? No. Soapsuds. See?” She pointed on her face. “Someone thought it would be funny to hook up in the showers while I was there. I ran as fast as I could.”

“You know I’ll kiss you soap suds and all, right?”

“I know.” Josie beamed. “But save it for later. I have big plans for us… besides making out with you at the theatre.”

Penelope grinned, feeling giddy all of the sudden. “That better be a promise.”

Josie beamed. “It is.”

They stared at each other for a long time, unable to break their smiles.

“I’ll go,” Penelope finally said, grabbing Josie by her robe. “But first let me plant one on your cheeks first.”

“Pen, _nooo_.”

Penelope pecked her cheeks, laughing. “You’re really not kidding about the soap suds.”

“I told you,” Josie looked utterly delighted. “Go! Before I change my mind and kiss you with my soap coated lips.”

Penelope waved back, unable to hide the spring in her steps.

 

She met up with M.G in the common room, and they went to have breakfast together. They spent most of the morning in the kitchen, where everyone was perusing a leaflet about a band playing at the Grill later on. Penelope chose to watch M.G struggle to stop himself from eavesdropping rather teach him, and at twelve o’clock said she was going back to her dorm to get ready for her date.

“What? You need two hours to prepare?” M.G shouted. He shook his head in disbelieve. “Girls.”

“You’re coming or not?”

M.G. ran to her, eager as a dog.

Penelope changed into her clothes looking very self-conscious, surveying herself in the long mirror with a dismayed look on her face. There was just no getting around the fact that Josie didn’t even tell her of her plan, aside from the fact that they were going to the movies first. In a desperate attempt to make herself looked more amicable, she used Toning Charm on her dress, turning her black ensemble to a silver and blue satin. It worked fairly well; at least now she looked like a regular teenager, not some witch who was donning her coven’s ceremonial clothes.

“I thought girls always have fancy dresses with them or something.”

Penelope rolled her eyes, flicking her hand so that the scissors on lap would magically alter the dress to suit her frame. “If I knew I wasn’t going to be miserable at this place and be dating the hottest witch on campus, I would have packed tons of my other stuff.”

“One of the hottest girls,” corrected M.G.

 “Ew.” Penelope scrunched her nose, already catching on what was on M.G’s mind. “You have a crush on Lizzie?”

M.G. shrugged. “She’s nice, smart, and good-looking.”

“I’m gonna stop you right there,” Penelope raised her hand. “I honestly don’t see the appeal.”

“Of course you don’t, you’re crushing hard on her twin. Heart eyes and all that.”

Penelope threw her pillow at M.G, laughing.

“Serious question though, do I look okay?” Penelope twirled, giving the vampire a full view of her dress.

M.G smiled. “Of course, you look great.”

Penelope looked away. “So no jokes about me looking like an evil seductress or something?”

“You said Josie never had a problem with that.”

Penelope didn’t meet his eyes. “You know what? Don’t answer that. It’s a stupid question anyway.”

 M.G seemed to know what was going on inside Penelope's head.

“Listen, Peez. You're not going to have any trouble. You're Penelope Park,” he said in a matter-of-factly tone as if her name carried weight around the school. It probably did but Penelope wasn’t keen on finding out how her name really mattered since the only thing on her mind was Josie. It was always Josie. “You’re an amazing witch and you look smoking hot. I bet Josie will spontaneously combust when she sees you.”

 To Penelope’s amazement, M.G.’s pep-talk turned out to be somewhat right.

 

Lizzie was waiting at the kissing gate, leaning against a white van with impatience written across her face. Her eyes lingered on Penelope’s neckline and the short cut of her dress as she looked at her up and down.

“You clean up well,” Lizzie scowled at the plunging cut that reached past her sternum. “But that neckline’s way too low.”

“Keep your eyes to yourself, Lizzie. It’s not for you to look at.”

M.G choked on his own spit.

Josie stepped forward and Penelope’s jaw almost dropped.

Josie’s was wearing a modest looking peach colored dress, patterned with intertwined flowers. She was also smiling, rather nervously, as if she wasn’t certain about how Penelope would react to her or something. Her demeanor screamed as if she trying not to draw attention to herself but it didn’t work. Josie looked seriously pretty.

Josie’s eyes dropped on her face then down on her neckline, swallowing hard.

“Wow.” They both said at the same time.

The van’s hood caught on fire. Penelope raised a hand to do a quick dowsing spell, smothering the flames before the twins could yell in surprise.

“Okay! Everyone get inside the van before Josie set the gate on fire or something.” Lizzie hooked her arm through Josie and dragged her to the shotgun seat. Lizzie shot one last look over her shoulder and mouthed venomously, _don’t make her panic_.

Penelope shrugged in response.

Lizzie drove through the interstate, stopping here and there to lecture Penelope with a curt-business-like tone about the ‘things she shouldn’t do with Josie’. By the time they reached their destination, Josie had rolled her eyes for the fifth time and M.G was suppressing a smile.

“And don’t drink any alcohol.”

“Well, there goes my plan of raiding the Grill’s top shelf with Josie.”

Lizzie pursed her lips. “I can’t tell if you’re serious or not.”

“I know for a fact that the Grill has a nice selection of bourbon.”

“Pen.” Josie scolded, but there was humor on her eyes.

“Fine,” Penelope groaned. “I’m joking.”

“You’d better get inside, Jo. I’ll see you tonight.” Lizzie pushed Josie out before she could say goodbye. Penelope was about to follow her until Lizzie magically locked the door.

“You’re not thinking of sabotaging the date, are you?” Penelope asked slowly.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. “Cut me some slack here. Jo, go get your tickets with M.G. I’ll just have a quick chat with Park here.”

Once the two were out of sight, Lizzie turned around. She looked serious as if she was about to conduct a formal investigation or something equally boring. Penelope raised her eyebrow knowing fully what was going to happen. Part of her wanted to assure Lizzie that she wasn’t going to be a bad date, the other part of her thought it was fairly ridiculous that Lizzie was already insinuating that with just the look on her face.

“You seem like the kind of person who already gotten used to the whole ‘don’t hurt my sister’ talk.” Penelope was certain Lizzie was insinuating something but she kept mum to avoid riling her girlfriend’s twin. “And you probably dated tons of people.”

Penelope crossed her arms, suddenly feeling defensive. “I did.”

Lizzie sort of stared at her for a long time, as if thinking about it. “But none of them are like Jo.”

“I know.”

“She’s special.”

“ _I know_.” That much they could agree with.

Lizzie’s tone dropped to a murmur like she was sharing a secret. “If you hurt her in any way possible, I’ll make sure you’ll regret coming to the school.”

Penelope sighed. “I won’t hurt her, okay? Josie’s the only person in my life right now that I truly care about.”

There was a pregnant pause until Lizzie sighed and extended her pinky finger.

She narrowed her eyes.  “Swear on it.”

“Trust me; the last thing I want is to hurt your twin.” Penelope hooked her finger to Lizzie’s. “I promise I won’t hurt her.”

Lizzie’s stormy eyes softened a bit. She unlocked the door, gesturing to Penelope to get out.  Her interrogation was over. “Make sure Josie’s having fun…but not too much fun, okay?”

Penelope nodded.

“Also keep your hands to yourself, Park,” Lizzie said after a moment.

“That, I can’t promise,” Penelope smirked, walking quickly before Lizzie had a chance to respond.

“Park! You little shit!”

 

Josie was already sitting on the middle aisle, far enough from the screen that her eyes weren’t seared by the old movie house’s old projector, and far enough from the only other people in the room. On the other side was a group of teenagers throwing popcorns at each other.

Penelope kissed her cheek. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Josie smiled weakly.

“You okay?”

Josie grabbed her hand. A current ran through her body as if her girlfriend’s nervousness was magnifying her magic, almost overloading her. The hairs on her arms stood straight up.  Behind her, the projector flickered.

“No need to be nervous, Jojo,” Penelope said slowly, letting the magic wash over her.

Josie looked past her, her eyes landed on the rowdy group on the right. “I know. I just want this to be special.”

 “And this one going to be special.”

Josie’s eyes were unreadable in the darkness and Penelope knew she wasn’t convinced by her response. Great, Penelope thought sourly. They were off to a great start.

Josie grabbed something under her seat. “Butter or no butter?”

 “Butter,” Penelope confessed. Josie’s eyes widened for a second and then she made a face.

“Extra salt is good too,” Penelope added, trying to salvage whatever it was that was annoying her girlfriend.

“At least tell me that you like Milk Duds,” Josie almost begged.

Penelope smiled. “It’s my favorite.”

It was a lie.

 

The movie was definitely not showing The Notebook or any kind of romance, which Josie would have liked. Whatever was on the screen, it was downright terrible. Ten minutes in, Penelope already knew that they were in for an hour and half of slapstick and dry comedy.

“I think at this point you already know I messed up,” Josie whispered angrily. Her eyes were fixated on the teenagers, which Penelope dubbed as ‘the human squad’ in her mind.

“You didn’t,” Penelope said quickly, sensing the tension in the room. She kissed Josie on the cheek, hoping that it would placate her. “It’s just a minor altercation. Things like this happen all the time.”

“Pen, stop lying okay?” Josie’s fists were trembling. “I pretty much ruined our first date.”

“Jo, don’t be too hard on yourself,” Penelope whispered. “You didn’t purchase the right ticket. That’s not a big deal, besides-" One of the boys in front caught Josie’s eyes and waved. Josie’s eyes went bloodshot. “Do you know them?”

Josie wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Just some regular townies.”

“Shh.”

They were annoying the people around them, which was funny considering no one was even watching the movie. The realization hit Penelope like a ton of bricks.

Penelope scowled. “Someone—no, they— messed up your ticket, Jo.” The bag of popcorn lay forgotten on her girlfriend’s lap. “And your order. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t want to cause a scene.”

Penelope scowled even more. “I’m not going to cause a scene.”

“I didn’t say that,” Josie mumbled. “I said… _I_ don’t want to cause a scene. I feel like my magic is going haywire. Just one snap and I’ll pretty much burn something else like what I did earlier.”

Ahh. So this was what Lizzie meant about Josie’s panicking state.

“Don’t do anything, okay?” Josie pleaded.

“I’m not going to let them ruin our date, Jo.”

The boy, Josie muttered that his name was Connor, was leering, like they were in on his little game. Penelope wasn’t surprised to see the rest following Connor’s lead. Soon, Penelope was glaring at the group, the other looked as if they had the upper hand.

“Don’t mind them, Pen.” Josie shifted her weight; her chair scraped loudly against the floor.

“You’re enjoying the movie, Saltzman?” Connor was pulling out the big guns.

Penelope leaned forward, trying to become a wall between Josie and Connor’s minions acting like she could physically deflect their comments.

“Ohhh someone’s gonna snap,” Connor mocked.

_You have no idea._

Penelope looked around, stifling a smirk. Josie looked at her like she was nuts. There were no adults on sight.

“Babe, do you trust me?” Penelope whispered.

“Of course.” Josie sounded interested, momentarily distracted at the pet name.

“Close your eyes.”

Josie obliged.

Penelope kissed her mouth. She let her magic snap as the boys let out a repulsive whoop. The overhead lights exploded into smithereens, showering them with glass. It was chaos. Penelope could hear the boys screaming and diving out of their seats. At the same time, the seats behind them burst into flames, triggering the fire sprinklers to release water everywhere.

Josie was still kissing her, her lips smiling beneath hers. Penelope could feel her discomfort slowly disappearing, supplanted by a wave of giggle that was slowly escaping her mouth. Josie playfully pushed her back.

“You can open your eyes now.”

Josie peeked and realized that they were sitting in the only dry spot in the whole room. The boys were nowhere to be seen.

 “That’s your plan? Scare the townies into leaving us alone?”

“I don’t hear you complaining,” Penelope smirked. “You ready to get this date started?”

Josie laughed.

 

A few minutes later, The Notebook was finally playing on the screen. Josie tapped Penelope’s shoulder, her hand loaded with two cartons of buttered popcorn and a giant pink slush.

“I heard someone ordered buttered popcorn,” Josie announced. “Just in case one tub isn’t enough, I took the liberty of getting the whole supply out of the stockpile.”

“Thanks, babe.”

Josie kissed her. “Anything for my girl.”

 

The movie was done. By the time the ending credits rolled in, Penelope was looking at Josie with hunger in her eyes.

“What?” Josie took a deep breath and dropped the empty bag of popcorn on the floor.

Penelope blurted out, “Remember when you promised that we’re going to make out?”

Josie laughed. She pushed the slush out of the way and invited Penelope to climb onto her lap.

 

They had to be home by ten o’clock, an hour before Mr. Saltzman’s timely arrival at the school grounds. This, Josie confessed, made her plan somewhat easier for her to execute. Once they snuck out of the theatre, Josie dragged her to the Grill where there was a live band playing for a night.

“It’s a student fundraiser so they’ll only play until 9,” Josie said. “But I have to warn you: it’s just a bunch of teenagers with mediocre guitar skills.”

Penelope nodded sagely. “So no self-respecting adult would crash the place.”

“I figured you’d appreciate the irony of me taking you to a run-of-the-mill music show, ms. I only-listen-to-classical-music’.” Josie laughed, already pulling Penelope on the dance floor. “So, ms. Park, do you like me enough to dance with me?”

“I’ll endure the shitty music just for you.”

Josie snorted. “How valiant of you.”

Penelope curtsied and then extended her hand. “Dance with me, ms. Saltzman?”

Josie beamed. “Always.”

The music started by the time hit the makeshift floor, and it turned out that Josie was a pretty good dancer, considering she proclaimed that she wasn’t much of a dancer at all. She followed Penelope’s lead pretty well through about a dozen of songs, giggling as she tried to avoid stepping on everyone’s toes and giggling even more whenever Penelope threw a dark look to whoever was going to curse them for being clumsy on the dance floor.

After that, they headed to the tables where the busboys replaced their uniforms to black and white ensemble. Dinner was delicious—they both ordered the pricey ‘special menu’, a courtesy to Landon Kirby, a boy from Mystic Falls High who practically begged them to try the new cuisine, and then ordered a plate of pancakes, for old time’s sake. Josie thought it was amusing, sharing the meal that pretty much brought them together and Penelope couldn’t agree more. By the time Landon finally removed their plates, Josie was just so damn happy, it was infectious. Penelope couldn’t stop herself from smiling.  

They held hands while the band announced a five-minute break, but that didn’t stop Penelope from dragging Josie right next to the old jukebox they found on the corner. As they sway onto the music, Josie talked about some of the things that had happened to them in the past few months. Josie laughed when Penelope opened up that she carried a torch for her at first glance—she sort of laughed it off cheerfully—already figured it out on her own.

“You crush on me pretty hard, huh?” Josie teased.

Penelope blushed. “Don’t let go over your head.”

“Already did.” Josie stuck her tongue and Penelope rolled her eyes. “Tell you what; I also have a crush on you at first glance.”

 “Yeah?”

“You’re actually the first person who saw me for who I am,” Josie said quietly. “and make me feel special. ”

 “You don’t mean that.” Penelope almost frowned.

“I do.” Josie rested her head on Penelope’s shoulder. “That’s why I’m really glad that you like me too.”

Penelope pressed her hands to Josie’s cheeks. “I guess I have to stick by your side and remind you every day that you’re special, huh?”

Josie blushed. “Don’t let over your head.”

“Already did.”

 

They only had an hour left, and Penelope offered Josie her hand for the last time. The lights were dim and they were the only couple left on the floor. Penelope didn’t mind it for one bit. When the band began a slow melody, she held Josie close to her with her eyes closed, wondering if anything in her life could rival this perfect night.

“I don’t want this to end.” Josie sighed wistfully.

“It doesn’t have to be.” Penelope threaded a hand through Josie’s hair. “I promise that we’ll do something like this again.”

“Will you be my dancing partner again?” Josie asked. “Dance with me during charities, school dances…” she perked up and added, “Even in Miss Mystic Falls?”

Penelope beamed, feeling hopeful. Miss Mystic Falls was probably light-years away and imagining Josie winning the pageant, right next to her arm felt like a fantasy. She couldn’t wait to see it happen.

“I promise.”

Josie pulled her into a deep kiss.

 

Lizzie was waiting for them at the school grounds, meeting her twin half-way in a jog.  After they finally let go of each other, Penelope stood in the background, letting them have their moment, and admitted to herself that there was a part of her that wanted to know whether Josie was gushing about what happened on their date.

When Lizzie finally saw her standing off to one side, she excused herself from Josie and walked over, finally stopping when she was close.

“Josie told me she had a wonderful time.” Lizzie looked at her for a long time, as if she were seeing someone she’d never seen before.

Penelope didn’t know what to say so she remained silent.

“Look, I’m going to say this once and you better not make me repeat it again,” Lizzie said slowly. For the first time that night, the blonde began to smile. “You’re not really as bad as I think you are.”

“Oh.” Penelope fumbled for a bit, then recovered by saying, “Thanks.”

 Lizzie walked to the door. She crossed her arms, looking as if she was contemplating something serious.

“Do you...want to walk Josie back to our room?”

Josie looked teary-eyed.

Penelope exhaled, smiling back. “I would love that.”

“As much as I enjoy this budding relationship, we really have to move.” Josie dragged them both inside, grinning from ear to ear. “I think I hear Hope coming down the stairs.”

“Oh joy.” Penelope and Lizzie both grumbled.

They stared at each other for a moment and then without a warning, burst into a giggle.

**Author's Note:**

> Come scream with me at 
> 
> https://voluptuous-volus.tumblr.com/


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